Page:Rowland--In the shadow.djvu/96

 disease exists in which I cannot find my antidote. I wander among my enemies, recognizing my friends; where we find the one there is usually the other."

"Poison and antidote?"

"Yes, friend and enemy."

"One is fortunate to know them apart," said Virginia.

"You would never be puzzled in that way," answered Leyden. "I have an idea that you would be more susceptible to a rough impulse than to a rough speech." Virginia felt as if his eyes were upon her, but as she glanced at him quickly she was surprised to find that he was buttoning a glove.

"You flatter my astuteness," she answered, nettled.

"You say that because you thought that I was looking at you when my eyes were elsewhere? No, my mind was watching you, not my eyes; it was that which you felt."

"You are uncanny!" exclaimed Virginia. Leyden smiled. "Or else," she continued, "you are only unconventional; intelligently unconventional, unlike most eccentriques who are stupidly so. I fancy that your mind wears its hair long and drinks warm, fresh, cowy milk for breakfast!"

Leyden laughed outright. "No, I am nothing as interesting as that; I am natural; from having lived much with Nature I employ certain useful simplicities of expression and impression first scorned and then forgotten by an advanced civilization. I know that you are suffering from a rough impression at the present moment; you are only semiconscious of it; possibly you ascribe it to me, whereas, it is in reality because Count Dessalines is not 86