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"You come too late," he replied "There are no lines left " He held up his palm for me to see "Time has erased what men call fate I have none "

"I am sorry that you coainst the clean cool linen of the pillow "Would you leave me now, my beloved teacher? I would rather the company of a priest, and my old nurse if you haven't sent her home I have loved you with my whole heart, but I don't want to die in your superior company "

Through a haze I saw the shape of hirew nearer to me I felt his hands cup li fiercely

"Very well, beautiful one This is the moment Would you co, though it was full of pain

"Yes, always and forever yours "

"Forever to thrive in secret on the blood of the evildoer, as I thrive, and to abide with these secrets until the end of the world, if need be "

"I shall I want it "

"To learn froive "

"Yes, all of them "

He pickedand the pain in it so sharp, I cried out softly

"Only a little while,and tender love," he said in my ear

I was lowered into the ater of the bath, ainst the tiled edge ever so carefully I let my arms float in the water I felt it lap around my shoulders

He broke up handfuls of water to bathe me He bathed first ertips moved over my face

"Not a vagrant hair yet of your beard, and yet you have the nether endowments of a man, and must now rise above the pleasures you have so loved "

"I do, I will," I whispered A terrible burning lashed led to touch it But he heldwound And as the flesh tingled and burnt I felt it closing He did the same with the scratch on my arm, and then with the small scratch on the back of my hand Withpleasure of it