ngry lady deign to recur to gentleness and persuasion; if she had, the
task of resistance would have been exquisitely painful. As it was, the
sweet girl's generous nature was roused to defend, and ally herself with,
my despised cause. Her mother ended with a look of contempt and covert
triumph, which for a moment awakened the suspicions of Idris. When they
parted for the night, the Countess said, "To-morrow I trust your tone will
be changed: be composed; I have agitated you; go to rest; and I will send
you a medicine I always take when unduly restless--it will give you a
quiet night."

By the time that she had with uneasy thoughts laid her fair cheek upon her
pillow, her mother's servant brought a draught; a suspicion again crossed
her at this novel proceeding, sufficiently alarming to determine her not to
take the potion; but dislike of contention, and a wish to discover whether
there was any just foundation for her conjectures, made her, she said,
almost instinctively, and in contradiction to her usual frankness, pretend
to swallow the medicine. Then, agitated as she had been by her mother's
violence, and now by unaccustomed fears, she lay unable to sleep, starting
at every sound. Soon her door opened softly, and on her springing up, she
heard a whisper, "Not asleep yet," and the door again closed. With a
beating heart she expected another visit, and when after an interval her
chamber was again invaded, having first assured herself that the intruders
were her mother and an attendant, she composed herself to feigned sleep. A
step approached her bed, she dared not move, she strove to calm her
palpitations, which became more violent, when she heard her mother say
mutteringly, "Pretty simpleton, little do you think that your game is
already at an end for ever."

For a moment the poor girl fancied that her mother believed that she had
drank poison: she was on the point of springing up; when the Countess,
already at a distance from the bed, spoke in a low voice to her companion,
and again Idris listened: "Hasten," said she, "there is no time to lose--
it is long past eleven; they will be here at five; take merely the clothes
necessary for her journey, and her jewel-casket." The servant obeyed; few
words were spoken on either side; but those were caught at with avidity by
the intended victim. She heard the name of her own maid mentioned;--"No,
no," replied her mother, "she does not go with us; Lady Idris must forget
England,