"I do not know," he answered, almost pettishly.

"How should I?
But he has a power.

A secret power! I do not understand him or it!" The Syndic looked at him darkly thoughtful.

"You did not know that that was said of him ?" he asked.
"That he----" "Has magical arts ?" Claude shook his head.
"Nor that he has a laboratory upstairs ?" Blondel continued, fixing the young man gravely with his eyes.

"A laboratory in which he reads much in unknown tongues?
And speaks much when no one is present?
And tries experiments with strange substances ?" Claude shook his head.