by the strange, wild passion which Flamin displayed as soon as they were
alone together.

"You know I love you, Flamin, more than I love myself," he said,
clasping his friend in his arms, and leading him to a seat on the
watch-tower. "Of course, I swear never to overwhelm you in misfortune,
or desert you or hate you. What is it that brings such gloomy thoughts
into your mind?"

"I will tell thee everything now, Victor!" exclaimed his friend. "I will
open all my heart to thee."

At first he was too much overcome by his feelings to speak. For a long
time the two young men remained silent, gazing into the dark blue depths
of the night The Milky Way ran, like the ring of eternity, around the
immensity of space; below it glided the sharp sickle of the moon,
cutting across the brief days and the brief joys of men. But clear among
the stars shone the Twins, those ever-burning, intertwined symbols of
friendship; westward they rose, and on the right of them blazed the
heart of the Lion. The two friends had studied astronomy together, and
when Victor pointed out the happy sign in the midnight sky, Flamin began
to tell him his troubles. He, a poor clergyman's son, had fallen wildly
in love with Clotilda, the beautiful daughter of Prince January, of
Flachsenfingen. She was living at the country seat of the Lord
Chamberlain Le Baut, at St. Luna; so poor Flamin was able to see her
every day. Knowing that he could neither forget her nor win her, he was
tortured by a strange, hopeless jealousy, and he now confessed that,
instead of looking forward with joy to Victor's return to his home, he
had been consumed with fear lest his brilliant, noble, handsome friend
should utterly eclipse him in the sight of his beloved lady.