Page:Georges Eekhoud - Escal Vigor, a novel.djvu/257

Rh his visits at Les Pèlerins. It was that indeed, which had determined Claudie to make war on him.

Kehlmark, again transfigured, had reconquered all his courage and philosophy. During the period of his heart-rending explanations with Blandine he had fallen again into his melancholy humours, but now he had overcome himself and broken with the last links that bound him to Christianity. He believed himself better than a rebel, he held himself an apostle; it was he now who would take the offensive and judge his judges.

While waiting for an opportunity to take the field he armed himself with reading, compiled documents, and collected in history and literature illustrious examples to be used as apologetics. The physician, once consulted by Madame de Kehlmark, certainly never suspected what kind of apostleship the young man would espouse, whose genius and exceptional destiny he had so clearly foreseen.

At what precise moment did Landrillon resolve to communicate secretly to Bomberg, and to him only, presumptive evidence against the Count's conduct? Probably, on the day on which Claudie gave him to