“‘Yago!’ cried I in affright, ‘do you speak seriously?’
“‘Yes, master; in five years you have spent in glory twenty-five years of life. You have sold them to me. They belong to me; and these years that you have voluntarily given up are now added to mine.’
“‘What! That, then, was the price of your services?’
“‘Yes, and many others—for ages past—have paid more dearly; for instance, Fabert, whom I protected also.’
“‘Be silent, be silent!’ cried I; ‘this is not possible; it can not be true!’
“‘As you please; but prepare yourself; for there only remains for you a brief half-hour of life.’
“‘You are mocking me!’
“‘Not, at all. Calculate for yourself. Thirty-five years you have had, and twenty-five years you have sold to me—total, sixty. It is your own count; each one takes his own.’ Then he wished to go away, and I felt my strength diminish. I felt my life leaving me.
“‘Yago! Yago!’ I cried feebly; ‘give me a few hours, a few hours more!’
“‘No, no,’ replied he, ‘it would be taking away from myself, and I know better than you the value of life. There is no treasure worth two hours of existence.’