“‘Do not be downhearted,’ he said, ‘we are getting on. All shall happen as I prophesy. You shall have millions,’ and to cheer me up, he ordered for me, from Paris, every season, gowns and hats of all sorts, and many other knickknacks. “‘Learn to wear them,’ said he, ‘learn your part, and rehearse the future.’ “I lived three years in this way. About this time Lerne’s great voyage to America took place. It lasted two months, for which time, your uncle had sent Macbeth back to his family, by way of a holiday. “They came back on the same day. “I think that the Professor and he had agreed to meet at Dieppe. Lerne was gloomy and angry. ‘You will have to wait a bit yet, Emma,’ he said. “‘What is the matter?’ I said. ‘Isn’t it coming off?’ “‘They think that my inventions are not perfect enough; but there is nothing to be afraid of. I shall find what I want yet.’ “He resumed his researches in the laboratory.” * * * * * Once more, I interrupted Emma’s narrative. “Excuse me,” I said, “did Macbeth work also in the laboratory at that time?” “Never! Lerne gave him jobs to do in the hothouse, where he kept my poor friend a prisoner. “Poor Donovan, he would have done better to have remained over yonder. It was for my sake that he came back from Scotland, and he tried to make me understand that in his jargon. “‘For you, for you,’ was all he could manage to say. “For me! Good heavens, what had he become ‘for me’ a few weeks later! “Now listen! Here is where the madness comes in. “That winter it was snowing. Lerne was taking a nap in the armchair in the little drawing-room--at least he was pretending to have a nap. “Donovan gave me a glance. Pretending to go out to have a walk in the snow, which was falling, he went out by the hall. I heard him whistling a tune outside. He moved away. I went back to the dining-room to help the maid clear the table. Donovan joined me there, by the door opposite to that of the little drawing-room which we left open so that we could hear Lerne’s movements. “He flung his arms round me. I embraced him. We had a silent kiss. “Suddenly Donovan went green. I followed his looks. The door of the little drawing-room has a glass panel, and in that dim mirror, I saw Lerne’s eyes watching us. “Then he was upon us. My knees gave under me. Macbeth is a little man. Lerne flung him to the ground. They struggle. Blood flows. Your uncle uses his feet and teeth and nails ferociously. “I scream and tear at his clothes. Suddenly he picks himself up. Macbeth is in a faint, and then, Lerne gives a wild laugh, flings him over his shoulder, and carries him off to the laboratory. “I keep shouting, and then I had a sudden idea. “‘Nell, Nell!’ I cried. “The dog came up. I pointed out the group to her, and she dashed off at the moment when Lerne was disappearing behind the trees with his burden. She disappeared also.