to see Helen, and of introducing me to her, and I certainly longed to see again the lovely lady of my dream. I asked myself if it were possible she could be the famous Helen of Troy, or was she, alas! only another Bellagranda? Perish the infamous thought! I dared not ask the Doctor a question on the subject; I had everything to fear if I excited his displeasure, but he had nothing to fear from me as I was not gifted with supernatural power.
'I have an insatiable curiosity, Ubertus,' he said, through his clouds of smoke, 'to know more about that bright world of yours above-ground. It is so long since I was there that my life upon it appears to me now like a far distant dream I wish I could see it again. How happy would I be if I could exchange my palace here for the poorest, lowliest hut on the surface of the earth. I am rich and powerful here, as you have seen and shall see, and as I do not abuse my power like the Demon does, I am very well liked by the people. They call me by the simple name of Doctor Julius; some of them call me the good physician. I gave to you the name of "Rabbitonius" because you raved so constantly and piteously about rabbits, fines, taxation, and ruin, in your delirium, that I thought it would do as well as any other. I ran the risk, it is true, of bringing on a relapse by recalling disagreeable recollections, but then I have powerful drugs. You are getting strong again; in a few days you will be as well as ever. I can see by the returning clearness of your eyes, and the freshening up of the colour of your skin, that, if you are not likely to grow young again, you will not grow old for a number of years to come.'
'I owe you a debt of gratitude, Doctor,' I replied 'which I could not repay, were I to live for another hundred years.'
'Well, don't consider yourself in my debt,' he rejoined; 'I did my duty. But it surprises me exceedingly to see you here at all, so young, so apparently childlike in your ways
