My uncle entered. Surprised at finding us together, he stopped short and looked sharply at us, from one to the other. We each of us went on rubbing without raising our heads. "Here, take this," said my uncle, handing me a bulky parcel from under his arm. "A splendid purchase, you'll see." The subject did not interest me in the least. I opened the parcel, and from the enveloping paper emerged a steel helmet--but not an ordinary helmet, oh, no!--a superb, a monumental morion, with gorget and pointed visor of strange form. The visor was raised, and I tried to discover what prevented it from being lowered. "It will not go down--the hinges have got out of order," said my uncle; "but it's a superb piece, and, when it has been thoroughly cleaned and touched up, will look well--that shall be your to-morrow's job." "Very good, uncle," I murmured, not daring to raise my eyes to his. That night, on reaching my room, I at once went to bed. I was eager to be alone and able to think at my ease. Night brings counsel, it is said; and I had great need that the proverb should prove true. But, after lying awake for an hour without receiving any assistance, I fell off to sleep, and, till next morning, did nothing but dream the oddest dreams. I saw Rose on her way to church in a strange bridal costume, a 14th-century cap, three feet high, on her head, but looking prettier than ever; then suddenly the scene changed to moonlight, in which innumerable helmets and pieces of old china were dancing a wild farandola, while my uncle, clad in complete armour and with a formidable halberd in his hand, conducted the bewildering whirl. [Illustration: "MY UNCLE SAT SMOKING HIS PIPE AND WATCHING ME."] The next day--ah, the next day!--I was no nearer. In vain, with clenched teeth, I scoured the immense helmet brought by my uncle the previous evening--scoured it with such fury as almost to break the iron; not an idea came to me. The helmet shone like a sun: my uncle sat smoking his pipe and watching me; but I could think of nothing, of no way of forcing him to give me his daughter. At three o'clock Rose went into the country, whence she was not to return until dinner-time, in the evening. On the threshold she could only make a sign to me with her hand; my uncle had not left us alone for a single instant. He was not easy in his mind; I could see that by his face. No doubt he had not forgotten our conversation of the previous evening. I went on rubbing at my helmet. "You have made it quite bright enough--put it down," said my uncle. I put it down. The storm was gathering: I could not do better than allow it to blow over. But suddenly, as if overtaken by a strange fancy, my uncle took up the enormous morion and turned and examined it on all sides.