e dream-stricken bow'r,
And whisper away the world;
Till the wayward wings are furled,
And the shadow is lifted from death--
Oh! beautiful mouth like a scarlet flow'r,
Oh! mouth with the wild, soft breath!

Oh! beautiful soul with the outstretched hands,
Oh! soul with the yearning eyes,
Lie still, lie still in the fairy lands
Where never a tear may fall;
Where no voices ever call
Any passion-act, strange or unwise--
Oh! beautiful soul with the outstretched hands,
Oh! soul with the yearning eyes!

The song was uttered with so much apparent passion that Lady Locke felt
tears standing in her eyes when the last words ceased on the cool air of
the night.

"How beautiful," she said involuntarily to Lord Reggie, who happened to
be standing beside her. "And how wrong!"

"Surely that is a contradiction in terms," the boy said. "Nothing that
is beautiful can possibly be wrong."

"Then how exquisitely right some women have been whom Society has
hounded out of its good graces," Madame Valtesi remarked.

"Yes," said Reggie. "And how exquisitely happy in their rectitude."

"But not in their punishment," said Mrs. Windsor. "I think it is so
silly to give people the chance of whipping you for what they do
themselves."

"Society only loves one thing more than sinning," said Madame Valtesi,
examining the moon magisterially through her tortoise shell eyeglass.

"And what is that?" said Lady Locke.

"Administering injustice."

VII.

"Well, what would you all like to do with yourselves to-day?" asked Mrs.
Windsor on the following morning after breakfast, which was over at
half-past ten, for they all got up early as a mark of respect to the
country air; and indeed, Mr. Amarinth declared that he had been awake
before five, revelling in the flame-coloured music of the farmyard
cocks.

"I should like to go out shopping," remarked Madame Valtesi, who was
dressed in a white serge dress, figured with innocent pink flowers.

"But, my dear, there are no shops!"

"There is always a linen-draper's in every village," said Madame
Valtesi; "and a grocer's."

"But what would you buy there?"

"That is just what I wish to know. May I have the governess cart? I want
to try and feel like a governess."

"Of course. I will order it. Will you drive yourself?"

"Oh no, I am too blind. Lady Locke, won't you come with me? I am sure
you can drive. I can always tel