"As a character, no indeed," replied he. "But as a career— I was about to say, you may set your mind at rest. I shall never try to collect for my services. I am doing all this solely out of obstinacy."
"Obstinacy?" asked the puzzled girl.
"The impossible attracts me. That's why I've never been interested to make a career in law or politics or those things. I care only for the thing that can't be done. When I saw you and studied you, as I study every new thing, I decided that you could not possibly make a career."
"Why have you changed your mind?" she interrupted eagerly.
"I haven't," replied he. "If I had, I should have lost interest in you. Just as soon as you show signs of making a career, I shall lose interest in you. I have a friend, a doctor, who will take only cases where cure is impossible. Looking at you, it occurred to me that here was a chance to make an experiment more interesting than any of his. And as I have no other impossible task inviting me at present, I decided to undertake you—if you were willing."
"Why do you tell me this?" she asked. "To discourage me?"
"No. Your vanity will prevent that."
"Then why?"
"To clear myself of all responsibility for you. You understand—I bind myself to nothing. I am free to stop or to go on at any time."
"And I?" said Mildred.