He came up to her, seated himself near her couch, and spoke with extreme courtesy, as he kissed the hand she negligently abandoned to him. "You have assisted in a great and noble work, my lovely friend, and you have rendered very important assistance by taking charge of a secret correspondence, which has enabled me to preserve the appearance of a man of the world and ordinary traveller. I promise you an independent and brilliant position. The _how_ you must leave to me. I hope you trust my words." She gave him a quick look and said,-- "I do not doubt that you can keep your promise, or that you will keep it." "But," he continued, "much remains still to be done, and I believe I can open out greater and nobler spheres to your genius and industry: will you continue to be my confederate?" "I will," she replied; then a deep sigh heaved her breast, a rapid blush tinged her cheeks, and whilst a trembling fire sparkled in her eyes she said, "I have one wish." "Express it!" he said with the gallantry of a man of the world; "if it be in my power to fulfil it--" "I believe it is, for I have seen so many proofs of your power that I have unbounded confidence in it." "Well?" he asked, gazing at her enquiringly. She cast down her eyes, interlaced her fingers, and said in a low and timid voice,-- "Give me back Stielow." Immense surprise, and a shade of displeasure appeared on his face. "I certainly did not expect this wish," he said, "I thought you had forgotten this caprice. To fulfil it exceeds my power." "I do not believe it," she replied, raising her eyes and gazing full at the count, "he is a boy, and you know how to lead earnest men of ripe years." "But you forget," said he, "that--" "That he, in a fit of ill-temper, out of spite, has thrown himself at the feet of a _fade_, insipid girl, who finds a place in the almanach de Gotha, where her heart is also," she cried, rising hastily from her recumbent position, with flashing eyes. "No, I do not forget it, but just for that reason I will have him back. I will help you in everything," she continued, speaking more slowly, "I will employ all the powers of my intellect and of my will, on behalf of your plans; but I will have something in return for myself, and I say therefore, 'Give me back Stielow.'" "You shall certainly," said the count, "have for yourself whatever you wish. I impose no restraints on your little personal divertissements," he added, with a smile; "but what do you want with this boy--as you yourself call him?--can you not rule men with your genius, and by a glance from those eyes?" "I love him!" she whispered. The count looked at her with amazement. "Forgive me!" he said, smiling, "this boy--" "Because he is a boy," she cried, and a stream of passionate feeling gushed from her large widely-opened eyes,--"because he is so pure, so good, and so beautiful," she whispered, and her eyes were veiled with mist. The count looked at her very gravely.