"If it is by your side," I began passionately.
She stopped me with a look.
"Please go away," she said firmly. "You only weary me! If it is to gain an opportunity of saying this sort of rubbish that you have induced me to take you seriously, I can only say that I am sorry I have wasted a second of my time upon you!"
"The two things are apart," I answered. "I will not allude to the one again. My interest in what you have said is genuine. I am waiting for your advice."
She rose slowly to her feet. She looked me in the eyes, but there was no shadow of kindness in their expression.
"If I were a man," she said—"if I were you, I would seek out the person whom you befriended—he goes by the name of Guest—and I would learn from him—the secret!"
"Where can I find him?" I asked eagerly. "He seems to have disappeared entirely."
Her voice sank to a whisper. Her breath fanned my cheek, so that I felt half mad with the desire to hold her in my arms, if only for a moment. I think that she must have seen the light flash in my eyes, but she ignored it altogether.
"Go to your room," she said, "and wait till a messenger comes to you."