“About you. Tell me, have you looked in your mirror lately?”
“Only just to do my hair,” she answered. “I avoid looking at my own face as much as possible.”
“Why?”
She hesitated.
“Well! I don’t want to be deluded into imagining myself good-looking when I’m not.”
He smiled.
“Resolute woman! Now listen! From this day forward I shall give you one measure of what you call my ‘golden fire’ every fortnight. You have experienced its first effect. What future effects it may have I cannot tell you. But as the subject of my experiment you must submit to the test. If you suffer bodily pain or mental confusion from its action tell me at once, and I will do my best to spare you unnecessary suffering. You understand?”
She had grown very pale, even to the lips,—but she answered, quietly:
“I understand! You have never asked me exactly what I did feel the first time I took it. I may as well confess now that I thought I was dying.”
“You will think so again and yet again,” he said, coolly. “And you may die! That’s all I have to say about it!”