e
the noble armourial bearings, charged upon a gold escutcheon, of Lord
Cedric's house. Wonderingly, she examined it and swept her brow with
the back of her slender hand. Slowly she spoke, and in a voice vibrant
with portent, her eyes now wide open.

"This--this doth trend to set my brain a-whirl, and doth connive to
part sense from understanding and mind from body. To be sure, 'twas
dark,--and allowing that I was well-nigh intoxicated with love--my
brain could truly swear 'twas Sir Julian; and yet this he flung aside
doth confute reason, and I must either ponder upon the this and that
in endeavouring to conjoin mental and physical forces to sweet amity
or give over that reaching wife's estate hath made of me a sordid
fool, as hath it oft made woman heretofore. My senses up until I met
one of two at the foot of the stair, I could make affidavit on. The
mould of either could well trick the other, providing their heads were
as muddled as mine, and in this matter I am also clear. 'Twas meet
to speak lowly and the voice was not betrayed. But--there was some
restraint at first; for his words came slow and with much flaunting of
French--indeed 'twas overdone.--And the duel--ah! ah!--'twas Cedric's
'Nay, nay, nay!--' with an oath that had no note of Sir Julian in it.
And hard he strove not to fight, nor did he until the other cried out
to him--I see it all plainly; 'twas Cedric, 'twas Cedric! If I could
mistake all else, I could not mistake his passion; 'twas: 'Kate' this,
and 'Kate' that. Sir Julian never called me else than Katherine. And
his words were over plain, and in truth they became not so slow and
studied, and there was a leaving off of French. 'Twas he! Ah! and he
was so sweet and gentle and near drowned me by his tenderness--'twas
such sweet love--" Quickly she hid her blushing face in the pillow,
for she forgot she was speaking aloud.

"Hast thou then married mind to body? If thou hast them well mated and
art sure thou art through espousing, I will straightway wed thee to
thy clothes, that thou mayest first pay thy respects to their Graces,
then go out into the sunshine and walk thee up and down for the half
of an hour, where, 'tis most like thou wilt find thy lord, who is too
impatient to remain indoors."

"Nay, I shall not see him!"

"Tut, Lambkin! thou wouldst not play the shrew to so noble a lord,
that soon, no doubt, will be a great Duke?"

"He hath tricked and deceived me. I will punish him for it. Nay