doctor's side; I caught
myself even praying for his success; and when some hours ago a low,
peculiar cry reached my ears from the laboratory, I could no longer
control my impatience, but mounted the stairs and opened the door.

The doctor was standing in the middle of the room; in his hand a large,
round-bellied, crystal flask, some three parts full of a bright
amber-coloured liquid; on his face a rapture of gratitude and joy
unspeakable. As he saw me he raised the flask at arm's-length.
"Victory!" he cried. "Victory, Asenath!" And then--whether the flask
escaped his trembling fingers, or whether the explosion was spontaneous,
I cannot tell--enough that we were thrown, I against the door-post, the
doctor into the corner of the room; enough that we were shaken to the
soul by the same explosion that must have startled you upon the street;
and that, in the brief space of an indistinguishable instant, there
remained nothing of the labours of the doctor's lifetime but a few
shards of broken crystal and those voluminous and ill-smelling vapours
that pursued me in my flight.

FOOTNOTE:

[2] In this name the accent falls upon the _e_; the _s_ is sibilant.

THE SQUIRE OF DAMES (_concluded_)

What with the lady's animated manner and dramatic conduct of her voice,
Challoner had thrilled to every incident with genuine emotion. His
fancy, which was not perhaps of a very lively character, applauded both
the matter and the style; but the more judicial functions of his mind
refused assent. It was an excellent story; and it might be true, but he
believed it was not. Miss Fonblanque was a lady, and it was doubtless
possible for a lady to wander from the truth; but how was a gentleman to
tell her so? His spirits for some time had been sinking, but they now
fell to zero; and long after her voice had died away he still sat with a
troubled and averted countenance, and could find no form of words to
thank her for her narrative. His mind, indeed, was empty of everything
beyond a dull longing for escape. From this pause, which grew the more
embarrassing with every second, he was roused by the sudden laughter of
the lady. His vanity was alarmed; he turned and faced her; their eyes
met; and he caught from hers a spark of such frank merriment as put him
instantly at ease.

"You certainly," he said, "appear to bear your calamities with excellent
spirit."

"Do I not?" she cried, and fell once more into delicious laughter. But
f