Good-bye again; God bless you!" The carriage moved off, and Heliobas stood on the steps of his mansion watching it out of sight.

To the last I saw his stately figure erect in the light of the winter sunshine--a figure destined from henceforth to occupy a prominent position in my life and memory.

The regret I felt at parting from him was greatly mitigated by the assurance he gave me of our future meeting, a promise which has since been fulfilled, and is likely soon to be fulfilled again.

That I have such a friend is an advantageous circumstance for me, for through his guidance I am able to judge accurately of many things occurring in the course of the daily life around me--things which, seemingly trivial, are the hints of serious results to come, which, I am thus permitted in part to foresee.
There is a drawback, of course, and the one bitter drop in the cup of knowledge is, that the more I progress under the tuition of Heliobas, the less am I deceived by graceful appearances.

I perceive with almost cruel suddenness the true characters of all those whom I meet.