I have recognised my
master."

"And those powers," said Christian, "are unlimited as ever; and with thy
assistance, thou shalt see the strongest meshes that the laws of civil
society ever wove to limit the natural dignity of man, broke asunder
like a spider's web."

She paused and answered, "While a noble motive fired thee--ay, a noble
motive, though irregular--for I was born to gaze on the sun which the
pale daughters of Europe shrink from--I could serve thee--I could
have followed, while revenge or ambition had guided thee--but love of
_wealth_, and by what means acquired!--What sympathy can I hold with
that?--Wouldst thou not have pandered to the lust of the King, though
the object was thine own orphan niece?--You smile?--Smile again when I
ask you whether you meant not my own prostitution, when you charged
me to remain in the house of that wretched Buckingham?--Smile at that
question, and by Heaven, I stab you to the heart!" And she thrust her
hand into her bosom, and partly showed the hilt of a small poniard.

"And if I smile," said Christian, "it is but in scorn of so odious an
accusation. Girl, I will not tell thee the reason, but there exists
not on earth the living thing over whose safety and honour I would
keep watch as over thine. Buckingham's wife, indeed, I wished thee; and
through thy own beauty and thy wit, I doubted not to bring the match to
pass."

"Vain flatterer," said Zarah, yet seeming soothed even by the flattery
which she scoffed at, "you would persuade me that it was honourable love
which you expected the Duke was to have offered me. How durst you urge
a gross a deception, to which time, place, and circumstance gave the
lie?--How dare you now again mention it, when you well know, that at the
time you mention, the Duchess was still in life?"

"In life, but on her deathbed," said Christian; "and for time, place,
and circumstance, had your virtue, my Zarah, depended on these, how
couldst thou have been the creature thou art? I knew thee all-sufficient
to bid him defiance--else--for thou art dearer to me than thou
thinkest--I had not risked thee to win the Duke of Buckingham; ay, and
the kingdom of England to boot. So now, wilt thou be ruled and go on
with me?"

Zarah, or Fenella, for our readers must have been long aware of the
identity of these two personages, cast down her eyes, and was silent for
a long time. "Christian," she said at last, in a solemn voice, "if my
ideas of right and of w