Perhaps--who
knows?--in the end I shall have your soul, you mine."
He laughed as he spoke; then added:
"No, no; I don't believe in such an exchange; and, Julian, I scarcely
desire it. But let us go on. This gives a slight new excitement to life."
"Yes. But it is selfish of you to wish to keep your soul to yourself.
I want it. Well, _au revoir_, Val; to-morrow night."
"_Au revoir_."
After Julian had gone Valentine went back into the drawing-room and stood
for a long while before the "Merciful Knight." He had a strange fancy
that the picture of the bending Christ protected the room from the
intrusion of--what?
He could not tell yet. Perhaps he could never tell.
CHAPTER V
THE THIRD SITTING
"Isn't it an extraordinary thing," Julian said, on the following evening,
"that if you meet a man once in London you keep knocking up against him
day after day? While, if--"
"You don't meet him, you don't."
"No. I mean that if you don't happen to be introduced to him, you
probably never set eyes on him at all."
"I know. But whom have you met to-day?"
"Marr again."
"That's odd. He is beginning to haunt you."
"I met him at my club. He has just been elected a member."
"Did he make any more inquiries into our sittings?"
"Rather.
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