aid Siquier,
stepping to the pharo table.

'Most certainly, he wishes to say a friendly word in relation to your
conduct in the late action,' observed count Posse. 'Your enemies, even,
must acknowledge that you have deserved it.'

'Thank you, captain, for the acknowledgment that I did my duty,' said
Arwed modestly. 'Yet there were many others who did as much, if not
more, in that action.'

'Whoso abaseth himself shall be exalted,' said Swedenborg, with
benevolent kindness, laying his hand upon Arwed's shoulder.

'You are come opportunely, Siquier,' said Megret derisively. 'You have
long been desirous of having your horoscope cast. There stands a
professor of the high art, the great Swedenborg. Give him a good word.'

'It would occupy too much of my time,' answered Siquier. 'It takes
long, I have heard, to make the calculations, and I must shortly return
to the prince. But Swedenborg must also be an experienced chiromancer,
and can foretell my good fortune from my hand.'

With malicious levity, he held out his hand to the insulted man. But
the latter threw it forcibly back, exclaiming, 'your hand smells of
blood. I have nothing to do with you!'

The scoffer stood a long time, as if suddenly struck by a thunderbolt,
staring with amazement at the prophet. Soon collecting himself,
however, he strode out of the room.

'What was that?' asked count Posse, looking inquiringly at Megret. The
latter, visibly disturbed, shuffled the cards anew, and at length said
with a forced smile, 'one fool makes many others.'

'That was too much in earnest for folly,' thought Posse.

'If it be agreeable to you,' said Arwed in ill humor to Kolbert, 'we
will leave our game unfinished. I have no longer the ability to play.
My head has become unusually disturbed by the strange conversation to
which I have been compelled to listen.'

Kolbert, acquiescing, threw the chessmen in a heap. Arwed stepped to
the pharo table and seized some cards which were quickly thrown to him.

'Take the king,' said Swedenborg to him: 'he is the banker's enemy.'

Megret was evidently startled, and with a Vehemence vastly
disproportionate to the occasion, he asked Swedenborg, 'what do you
mean? Do you intend to insult me?'

'He who is evil has evil thoughts,' answered Swedenborg quietly. 'I
gave to my young friend good advice, founded upon my calculations of
the game.'

'I prefer to advise myself,' said Arwed,--impatient of the
obtrusiveness of the str