cried Rosada under her breath. `_Amiga_, you know not that
man. He would not hesitate one minute to stab you if he found you
there, and fancied any cause of suspicion against you. 'Tis forbidden
ground--Maria _sin pecado_ [without sin]! How came you in such peril?
I knew her never before left alone even a moment.'--`I did but hear her
Highness moaning,' I said bewilderedly, `and was moved to go to
her.'--`The Devil must have moved you!' she saith breathlessly. `I
think rather,' I answered, `saving your presence, Rosada, and not
intending you, it was the Devil pushed me forth hither.'--`You mean my
Lord Marquis?' quoth she, taking me rightly. `The saints pardon her
Highness! You know she is quite out of her mind. She saith all manner
of evil of him.'

"I thought it better, perchance, to make no answer. But into my mind
came a remembrance touching a way wherein the fools should not err; and
I thought she should maybe come in at the gates of Heaven afore either
Rosada or I.

"O Isoult! I would I were forth of this horrible country! It is
peopled with devils. Leonor is not one, methinks; nor assuredly is
Rosada, neither this my poor sely maiden Maria; but I should find it
hard to write a fourth within this palace.

"I may not make my letter much longer. Prithee tell me some news of
England, if any be; and shouldst thou hear ought of my gracious mistress
[the Duchess of Suffolk], I would like much to know it.

"I do well-nigh wish I had not gone into that chamber! and yet, if I
have in any wise comforted her, it is well. It hath maybe done her some
little good to pour forth her sorrows to me for a minute. But now I
never awake of a night but I listen for those fearful screams. I thank
God, I have not heard them again as yet. Methinks her gossips did
blunder in naming her Juana; they should have called her Dolores
[sorrows].

"I pray thee, make mine hearty commendations to Mr Avery and all other
that I know; and kiss thy little Kate for me. And so I commend thee to
the tuition of God. From Tordesillas, this fourteenth of August.--Thine
own assuredly,--

"Annis Holland."

When we look back over the way which the Lord has led us these forty
years in the wilderness, we sometimes find in retrospect the Marahs no
sadder than the Elims. Nay, there are times when the Elims are the
sadder.

"A sorrow's crown of sorrow
Is, remembering happier things."

There was much sorrow of that class for t