r without injuring him, I should not heed,"
thought Lady Roos. "But where he suffers, I must also suffer, and yet
more acutely."

And scarcely able to support herself, she followed her mother to the
door of the ante-chamber, which was unlocked, and thrown open for them
by her husband. He did not bid her farewell!

As Lady Lake passed forth, she paused for a moment, and said--

"To-morrow, my Lord, we will ascertain whether the tress of hair we have
obtained from the fair visitant to your chamber, matches with that of
Gillian Greenford or with the raven locks of the Countess of Exeter."

And satisfied with the effect produced by this menace, she departed with
her daughter, before Lord Roos could utter a reply.

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Fountain Court.

On the morning after the eventful passage in his life, previously
related, our newly-created knight was standing, in a pensive attitude,
beside the beautiful fountain, adorned with two fair statues,
representing the Queen of Love and her son, heretofore described as
placed in the centre of the great quadrangle of the Palace of Theobalds.
Sir Jocelyn was listening to the plashing of the sparkling jets of
water, as they rose into the air, and fell back into the broad marble
basin, and appeared to be soothed by the pleasant sound. His breast had
been agitated by various and conflicting emotions. In an incredibly
short space of time events had occurred, some of which seemed likely to
influence the whole of his future career; while one of them, though it
had advanced him far beyond what he could have anticipated, appeared
likely to mar altogether his prospects of happiness.

Though the difficulties, therefore, that surrounded him had been
unexpectedly overcome; though, by the exertions of the Conde de
Gondomar, who had followed up his first success with wonderful
promptitude and perseverance, and had dexterously contrived, by all the
insidious arts of which lie was so perfect a master, to ingratiate his
protege still further with the King, without the protege himself being
aware of the manner in which he was served; though James himself
appeared greatly pleased with him, at the banquet in the evening, to
which, owing to the skilful management of the Spanish ambassador, he was
invited, and bestowed such marked attention upon him, that the envy and
jealousy of most of the courtiers were excited by it; though he seemed
on the high-road to still greater favour, and was a