I should be inclined to think that loneliness were part of his scheme:
so that the soul of man might turn to him and him alone."
The Disagreeable Man was standing by his camera again: his decision was
made.
"Don't think about those questions," he said kindly. "Don't worry and
fret too much about the philosophy of life. Leave philosophy alone, and
take to photography instead. Here, I will lend you my old camera."
"Do you mean that?" she asked, glancing at him in astonishment.
"Of course I mean it," he said.
He looked remarkably pleased with himself, and Bernardine could not
help smiling.
He looked just as a child looks when he has given up a toy to another
child, and is conscious that he has behaved himself rather well.
"I am very much obliged to you," she said frankly. "I have had a great
wish to learn photography."
"I might have lent my camera to you before, mightn't I?" he said
thoughtfully.
"No," she answered. "There was not any reason."
"No," he said, with a kind of relief, "there was not any reason. That
is quite true!"
"When will you give me my first lesson?" she asked. "Perhaps, though,
you would like to wait a few days, in case you change your mind."
"It takes me some time to make up my mind," he replied, "but I do not
change it. So I will give you your first lesson to-morrow. Only you
must not be impatient. You must consent to be taught; you cannot
possibly know everything!"
They fixed a time for the morrow, and Bernardine went off with the
camera; and meeting Marie on the staircase, confided to her the piece
of good fortune which had befallen her.
"See what Herr Allitsen has lent me, Marie!" she said.
Marie raised her hands in astonishment.
"Who would have thought such a thing of Herr Allitsen?" said Marie.
"Why, he does not like lending me a match."
Bernardine laughed and passed on to her room.
And the Disagreeable Man meanwhile was cutting a new scientific book
which had just come from England. He spent a good deal of money on
himself. He was soon absorbed in this book, and much interested in the
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