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the Devil！〃 flung out Jan。 For Jan had a soul that was generous and
brave and tender and excessively short…tempered。 Even the best of
souls have their failings。
〃I am sorry；〃 said old Nicholas。
〃I am glad to hear it；〃 answered Jan。
〃I am sorry for your mother；〃 explained Nicholas。 〃The poor dame； I
fear； will be homeless in her old age。 The mortgage shall be
foreclosed； Jan； on your wedding…day。 I am sorry for your father；
Jan。 His creditors； Janyou have overlooked just one。 I am sorry
for him； Jan。 Prison has always been his dread。 I am sorry even for
you； my young friend。 You will have to begin life over again。
Burgomaster Allart is in the hollow of my hand。 I have but to say the
word； your ship is mine。 I wish you joy of your bride； my young
friend。 You must love her very dearlyyou will be paying a high
price for her。〃
It was Nicholas Snyders' grin that maddened Jan。 He sought for
something that； thrown straight at the wicked mouth； should silence
it； and by chance his hand lighted on the pedlar's silver flask。 In
the same instance Nicholas Snyders' hand had closed upon it also。 The
grin had died away。
〃Sit down；〃 commanded Nicholas Snyders。 〃Let us talk further。〃 And
there was that in his voice that compelled the younger man's
obedience。
〃You wonder； Jan； why I seek always anger and hatred。 I wonder at
times myself。 Why do generous thoughts never come to me； as to other
men！ Listen； Jan； I am in a whimsical mood。 Such things cannot be；
but it is a whim of mine to think it might have been。 Sell me your
soul； Jan； sell me your soul； that I； too； may taste this love and
gladness that I hear about。 For a little while； Jan； only for a
little while； and I will give you all you desire。〃
The old man seized his pen and wrote。
〃See； Jan； the ship is yours beyond mishap； the mill goes free； your
father may hold up his head again。 And all I ask； Jan； is that you
drink to me； willing the while that your soul may go from you and
become the soul of old Nicholas Snydersfor a little while； Jan； only
for a little while。〃
With feverish hands the old man had drawn the stopper from the
pedlar's flagon； had poured the wine into twin glasses。 Jan's
inclination was to laugh； but the old man's eagerness was almost
frenzy。 Surely he was mad； but that would not make less binding the
paper he had signed。 A true man does not jest with his soul； but the
face of Christina was shining down on Jan from out the gloom。
〃You will mean it？〃 whispered Nicholas Snyders。
〃May my soul pass from me and enter into Nicholas Snyders！〃 answered
Jan； replacing his empty glass upon the table。 And the two stood
looking for a moment into one another's eyes。
And the high candles on the littered desk flickered and went out； as
though a breath had blown them； first one and then the other。
〃I must be getting home；〃 came the voice of Jan from the darkness。
〃Why did you blow out the candles？〃
〃We can light them again from the fire；〃 answered Nicholas。 He did
not add that he had meant to ask that same question of Jan。 He thrust
them among the glowing logs； first one and then the other； and the
shadows crept back into their corners。
〃You will not stop and see Christina？〃 asked Nicholas。
〃Not to…night；〃 answered Jan。
〃The paper that I signed；〃 Nicholas reminded him〃you have it？〃
〃I had forgotten it；〃 Jan answered。
The old man took it from the desk and handed it to him。 Jan thrust it
into his pocket and went out。 Nicholas bolted the door behind him and
returned to his desk； sat long there； his elbow resting on the open
ledger。
Nicholas pushed the ledger aside and laughed。 〃What foolery！ As if
such things could be！ The fellow must have bewitched me。〃
Nicholas crossed to the fire and warmed his hands before the blaze。
〃Still； I am glad he is going to marry the little lass。 A good lad； a
good lad。〃
Nicholas must have fallen asleep before the fire。 When he opened his
eyes； it was to meet the grey dawn。 He felt cold； stiff； hungry； and
decidedly cross。 Why had not Christina woke him up and given him his
supper。 Did she think he had intended to pass the night on a wooden
chair？ The girl was an idiot。 He would go upstairs and tell her
through the door just what he thought of her。
His way upstairs led through the kitchen。 To his astonishment； there
sat Christina； asleep before the burnt…out grate。
〃Upon my word；〃 muttered Nicholas to himself； 〃people in this house
don't seem to know what beds are for！〃
But it was not Christina； so Nicholas told himself。 Christina had the
look of a frightened rabbit： it had always irritated him。 This girl；
even in her sleep； wore an impertinent expressiona delightfully
impertinent expression。 Besides； this girl was prettymarvellously
pretty。 Indeed； so pretty a girl Nicholas had never seen in all his
life before。 Why had the girls； when Nicholas was young； been so
entirely different！ A sudden bitterness seized Nicholas： it was as
though he had just learnt that long ago； without knowing it； he had
been robbed。
The child must be cold。 Nicholas fetched his fur…lined cloak and
wrapped it about her。
There was something else he ought to do。 The idea came to him while
drawing the cloak around her shoulders； very gently； not to disturb
hersomething he wanted to do； if only he could think what it was。
The girl's lips were parted。 She appeared to be speaking to him；
asking him to do this thingor telling him not to do it。 Nicholas
could not be sure which。 Half a dozen times he turned away； and half
a dozen times stole back to where she sat sleeping with that
delightfully impertinent expression on her face； her lips parted。 But
what she wanted； or what it was he wanted； Nicholas could not think。
Perhaps Christina would know。 Perhaps Christina would know who she
was and how she got there。 Nicholas climbed the stairs； swearing at
them for creaking。
Christina's door was open。 No one was in the room； the bed had not
been slept upon。 Nicholas descended the creaking stairs。
The girl was still asleep。 Could it be Christina herself？ Nicholas
examined the delicious features one by one。 Never before； so far as
he could recollect； had he seen the girl； yet around her
neckNicholas had not noticed it beforelay Christina's locket；
rising and falling as she breathed。 Nicholas knew it well； the one
thing belonging to her mother Christina had insisted on keeping。 The
one thing about which she had ever defied him。 She would never have
parted with that locket。 It must be Christina herself。 But what had
happened to her？ Or to himself。 Remembrance rushed in upon him。 The
odd pedlar！ The scene with Jan！ But surely all that had been a
dream？ Yet there upon the littered desk still stood the pedlar's
silver flask； together with the twin stained glasses。
Nicholas tried to think； but his brain was in a whirl。 A ray of
sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room。
Nicholas had never seen the sun； that he could recollect。
Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it； felt a pang of grief
when it vanished； leaving only the grey light。 He drew the rusty
bolts； flung open the great door。 A strange world lay before him； a
new world of lights and shadows； that wooed him with their beautya
world of low； soft voices that called to him。 There came to him again
that bitter sense of having been robbed。
〃I could have been so happy all these years；〃 murmured old Nicholas to
himself。 〃It is just the little town I could have lovedso quaint；
so quiet； so homelike。 I might have had friends； old cronies；
children of my own maybe〃
A vision of the sleeping Christina flashed before his eyes。 She had
come to him a child； feeling only gratitude towards him。 Had he had
eyes with which to see her； all things might have been different。
Was it too late？ He is not so oldnot so very old。 New life is in
his veins。 She still loves Jan； but that was the Jan of yesterday。
In the future； Jan's every word and deed will be prompted by the evil
soul that was once the soul of Nicholas Snydersthat Nicholas Snyders
remembers well。 Can any woman love that； let the case be as handsome
as you will？
Ought he； as an honest man； to keep the soul he had won from Jan by
what might be called a trick？ Yes； it had been a fair bargain； and
Jan had taken his price。 Besides； it was not as if Jan had fashioned
his own soul； these things are chance。 Why should one man be given
gold； and another be given parched peas？ He has as much right to
Jan's soul as Jan ever had。 He is wiser； he can do more good with it。
It was Jan's soul that loved Christina； let Jan's soul win her if it
can。 And Jan's soul； listening to the argument； could not think of a
word to offer in opposition。
Christina was still asleep when Nicholas re…entered the kitchen。 He
lighted the fire and cooked the breakfast and then aroused her gently。
There was no doubt it was Christina。 The moment her eyes rested on
old Nicholas； there came back to her the frightened rabbit look that
had always irritated him。 It irritated him now； but the irritation
was against himself