re I go at midnight to the chambers of male servants!--Simpson,
can you help me in this dreadful emergency? You have heretofore proved
faithful to me,--do not desert me now. _Lagrange must be
silenced!_--do you understand me? At any cost,--at any risk,--his
babbling tongue must be hushed, _by you_, for you are the only person
whom I can trust in the affair. Yes, he must never speak the word that
will proclaim my dishonor to the world!'

"'_At any cost_, your ladyship?' rejoined I, fixing my eyes steadily
upon hers, for her despair rendered me bold, and I was not one to
suffer an opportunity to slip by unimproved.

"'I understand you, fellow!' she replied, with a hysterical laugh and
a glance of scorn,--'and much as I despise you, I answer yes! at any
cost. But, gracious Heavens, what do I say? _you_, a menial, a
base-born servitor! But no matter; even _that_ is far preferable to
exposure. Good God! to think of being cast off by his lordship with
loathing and contempt, despised and hated by my relatives,--an eternal
blot upon my name,--forever excluded from the sphere of society of
which I am the star and centre,--no, that shall never, never be.
Silence Lagrange--silence him forever,--then ask of me any favor, and
it shall not be denied.'

"I approached her ladyship; she was pale as marble, but how superbly
beautiful! Her glossy hair, all disordered, hung in rich masses upon
her uncovered shoulders; her seductive night-dress but imperfectly
concealed the glories of her divine form,--her heaving bosom, so
voluptuous and fair, was more than half disclosed to my gaze. With a
palpitating heart I laid my trembling hand upon one of her plump,
white shoulders. Never shall I forget the majestic rage and scorn of
her look, as she started to her feet, and stood before me in all the
pride of her imperial beauty.

"'Fellow,' she said, with desperate calmness, 'you are bold; but
perhaps I ought to have expected this. I perceive that you are
disposed to take every advantage of my situation. Be it so, then; but
not until you have _earned the reward_, can you claim it. Remember
this. Fortunately, his lordship is out of town, and will not return
until the day after to-morrow; but oh! how unfortunate that his
accursed valet did not accompany him! Lagrange pretended to be ill,
and was left behind, and my lord was attended by another servant. No
matter,--you will