"And now, listen," said Anthony, clearing his throat.
"Master of human destinies am I!"
He paused and sent the hypnotic smile drilling into David.
"'Master of human destinies!'" he repeated. "That, in itself, means a very great deal, does it not?"
"I guess so," David muttered dazedly, and, however briefly, Johnson Boller almost liked him for the look he directed at Anthony's bowed head.
"Fame, love, and fortune on my footsteps wait,
Cities and fields I walk; I penetrate
Deserts and seas remote, and passing by
Hovel and mart and palace, soon or late
I knock unbidden once at every gate!"
"Once," concluded Anthony, "at every gate. Once, David!"
"Yes, I've heard that poem before," said David, who was examining the rug.
Johnson Boller laughed in a rich undertone. Anthony flushed, and his voice rose a little as he continued:
"If feasting, rise; if sleeping, wake before
I turn away. It is the hour of fate
And they who follow me reach every state
Mortals desire, and conquer every foe
Save death...."