'Busy, busy!' said the tall man, and he wiped the cold dews from his bald, bony forehead.
Without moving Johannes looked timidly into the deep-set eyes which were fixed on his. They were grave and gloomy, but not cruel, not angry. After a few minutes he breathed more freely and his heart beat less wildly.
'This is Johannes,' said Pluizer. 'He has heard of a certain book in which it is written why everything is as it is, and we are now going to seek it together, are we not?' And Pluizer laughed significantly.
'Ay, indeed? That is well!' said Death kindly, and he nodded to Johannes.
'He is afraid he will not find it, but I tell him first to seek it diligently.'
'To be sure,' said Death. 'Seek diligently, that is the best way.'
'He thought, too, that you were very dreadful. But you see, Johannes, that you were mistaken.'
'Oh yes,' said Death good-humouredly, 'men speak much evil of me. I am not attractive to look upon, but I mean well, nevertheless.'
He smiled faintly, as one who is occupied with more serious matters than those he is speaking of. Then he took his dark gaze from Johannes's face, and looked out thoughtfully over the great city.
For a long time Johannes dared not speak; but at last he said in a low voice--
'What do you mean, my child?' said Death, roused from his meditations. 'No, not now. You must grow up and become a good man.'
'I will not grow to be a man like all the rest.'
'Come, come,' said Death, 'there is no help for it.'
And it was easy to hear that this was a frequent phrase with him. He went on--
'My friend Pluizer can teach you how to become a good man. There are various ways of being good, but Pluizer can teach you admirably. It is a very fine and noble thing to be a good man. You must never look down on a good man, my little fellow.'
'Seek, think, look about you,' said Pluizer.
'To be sure, to be sure,' said Death. And then he inquired of Pluizer: 'To whom will you take him?'
'Ah yes,--a very good pupil. A very capital example of a man! Almost perfect in his own way.'
'Shall I see Robinetta again?' asked Johannes, trembling.
'Oh, he was in love, and fancied that he was an elf. Ha, ha, ha!' laughed Pluizer spitefully.
'No, no, my little man, that will never do,' said Death. 'You will soon forget all that when you are with Doctor Cypher. Those who seek what you seek must give up everything else. All or nothing.'