"Thou art mighty fluent with thy guesses," replied he, not at all relishing these unpleasant truths; "and what if I am doomed to pine after the good I can never attain? I will bear my miseries, if not without repining, at least without thy pity:" and he arose to depart.
"All that thou pinest after is thine. All!" said the stranger.
"Mine! by what process?—whose the gift?—Ha, ha!" and he drained the brimming glass, waiting a solution of his interrogatory.
"I will be thy instructor. Behold the renowned Doctor Gabriel Ras Mousa, who hath studied all arts and sciences in the world, who hath unveiled Nature in her most secret operations, and can make her submissive as a menial to his will. In a period incredibly short, I engage to make thee the most renowned painter in Christendom."
"And the time requisite to perform this?"
"One month! Ay, by the wand of Hermes, in one month, under my teaching, shalt thou have thy desire. I watched thy bargain with the dealer yonder, and have had pity on thy youth and misfortunes."
"Humph—compassion! And the price?" again inquired Conrad, with an anxious yet somewhat dubious expression of tone.
"The price? Once every month shalt thou paint me a picture."
"Is that all?"
"All."