Page:Georges Eekhoud - Escal Vigor, a novel.djvu/153

Rh, while the youngster on his side did not lose one of his movements, and felt himself strangely troubled, at once dreading and wishing for what was about to pass between them. Their eyes met and seemed to put to one another a poignant and subtle question. Then Kehlmark, in order to finish the matter, went up to the boy, took him by the hand, and gazing into the depth of his eyes, repeated to him, not without hesitation, the offer which he had made the night before to the boy's family.

"Thou understandest! Thou'lt come every day to the chateau. I will teach thee myself to read and write, to draw and to paint, to make fine, big pictures such as those thou didst admire the other evening. And we will also go in for music, plenty of music! Thou wilt see! We shall not tire one another."

The boy listened to him without saying a word, so dazed that he had a stupefied air, with disparted lips, his eyes wide open and staring, looked almost haggard. The Count stopped short, taken aback, thinking he must have adopted the wrong way, but continued to search his face. All at once, Guidon changed colour, his visage 9