he could come fresh from
her side and her caresses, and meet and embrace me! What stupendous
duplicity! Well, well!" she continued, nodding grimly; "well, well,
since deceit is the fashion of the day, I too will be in the fashion; I
too will wear a mask of smiles! But behind that mask I will watch!--Oh,
how I will watch! Not at my fancy-ball alone will I play a part, but
before it, and perhaps, _after it_! None shall ever know how I watch,
what I see, until I descend with the fell swoop of the eagle. And
henceforth let me remember that I am a daughter of the house of Berners,
who never failed a friend or spared a foe. And oh, let the spirit of my
fathers support me, for I must ENDURE until I can AVENGE!" she said, as
she got up with a grim calmness and paced up and down the floor to
recover full self-command.

At length, when she felt sufficiently composed, she went to her own
chamber, where she made a more elaborate and beautiful toilet than
usual, preparatory to joining her husband and their guest at the
dinner-table.

"Now smile, eyes! smile, lips! flatter, tongue! Be a siren among the
sirens, Sybil! Be a serpent among the serpents!" she hissed, as she
glided down the stairs and entered the dining-room.

_They_ were there! They were standing close together, in the recess of
the west window, gazing out at the sun, which was just setting behind
the mountain. They started, and turned towards her as she advanced. But
Sybil, true to her tactics, spoke pleasantly, saying:

"You get a beautiful view of the sunset from that window, Mrs.
Blondelle."

"Yes, dear," answered Rosa, sweetly. "I was just drawing Mr. Berners'
attention to it, and telling him that I really believe use has blinded
him to its beauty."

"Possession is a great disenchanter," answered Sybil.

Both the others looked up to see if she had any hidden meaning under her
words. But apparently she had not. She was smiling very gayly as she
took her place at the head of the table and invited her companions to
take their seats.

Throughout the dinner-hour Sybil seemed in very high spirits; she was
full of anecdote and wit; she talked and laughed freely. Her companions
noticed her unusual gayety; but they ascribed it to the exhilarating
effects of her morning drive, and to the anticipations of her mask ball,
which now formed the principal subject of conversation at the table.

After dinner, they went into the drawing-room, where Sybil soon left her
husba