"And the next day it was the same and the next. But the man did not speak of any disappointment. Instead, he told his nurse strange stories of the life he had seen, and one day something that she found hard to bear. It was of the beautiful woman whom he loved and would have wed. "The maiden, though now sad, still tended him faithfully, but to no avail. At last, in her distress, she sought out a witch who was famed for her wisdom over the whole mountain side. "'The man is under enchantment,' said the old woman. 'He knows his cure, but will not tell it to thee.' "'Tell me what it is!' exclaimed the maiden. 'I will pay any price for the cure!' "'Are you sure?' asked the witch with a disagreeable laugh. "'I am sure,' answered the maiden. "'Know then,' said the witch, 'that only a virgin life like yours can save him. Will you give your life?' "The girl looked down in thought. At last she spoke. 'If it is indeed so, why should I not? He is strong again and the world has need of him. He loves another from whom only bewitchment separates him. The happiness of two is worth the sacrifice of one. I will give my life that they may wed.' "The next morning when the man made his daily trial to arise, he found to his amazement that he could do so. He looked around for the maiden, but she was nowhere to be seen. He waited all day and till the next morning but she did not come. Then, full of regret, he went away. Near the threshold of the hut he stopped to pick a branch of fragrant lilac. As he did so, the whole bush swayed with delight, and it seemed to him that a spirit within it called his name as he turned away." CHAPTER X NEW PLANS Jonitza tried to forget that the time for leaving the country was approaching. The month had meant much to him. It had made a remarkable change in his appearance. His listless air had given way to a wide awake interested look, and his pale cheeks had already something of a ruddy hue. Although for her own sake, Mrs. Popescu longed for a return home, she felt something like guilt in taking her son back with her. Every night she gave much thought to the subject and every night she knelt in prayer before the ikon that hung in her bedroom, asking that light be given her as to her duty. Finally, unable to decide, she wrote a long letter to her busy husband and begged his advice. Instead of a written answer, her husband himself arrived. His solution of the difficulty startled her. "Why shouldn't Jonitza accompany Nicolaia as a sheep herder into the Carpathians?" "I'm afraid," she said, "there are gypsies there--and bad shepherds--and wild animals--and the life is too hard." Her husband made light of all these things. "I've talked it over," he said, "with the Doctor. He declares that the only trouble with our boy is that we've molly-coddled him. He advised me to trust him to Nicolaia, whose family he knows. He says that Jonitza is just the age to enjoy the experience and that he will thank us all his life for it."