alf-wicked sarcasm into the conversation. There was so strange a
characteristic in her manners and sentiments that it astonished every
right-minded listener, till, looking in her face, a lurking and
incomprehensible glance and smile perplexed them with doubts both as
to her seriousness and sanity. Gradually, Lady Eleanore Rochcliffe's
circle grew smaller, till only four gentlemen remained in it. These
were Captain Langford, the English officer before mentioned; a
Virginian planter who had come to Massachusetts on some political
errand; a young Episcopal clergyman, the grandson of a British earl;
and, lastly, the private secretary of Governor Shute, whose
obsequiousness had won a sort of tolerance from Lady Eleanore.

At different periods of the evening the liveried servants of the
province-house passed among the guests bearing huge trays of
refreshments and French and Spanish wines. Lady Eleanore Rochcliffe,
who refused to wet her beautiful lips even with a bubble of champagne,
had sunk back into a large damask chair, apparently overwearied either
with the excitement of the scene or its tedium; and while, for an
instant, she was unconscious of voices, laughter and music, a young
man stole forward and knelt down at her feet. He bore a salver in his
hand on which was a chased silver goblet filled to the brim with wine,
which he offered as reverentially as to a crowned queen--or, rather,
with the awful devotion of a priest doing sacrifice to his idol.
Conscious that some one touched her robe, Lady Eleanore started, and
unclosed her eyes upon the pale, wild features and dishevelled hair of
Jervase Helwyse.

"Why do you haunt me thus?" said she, in a languid tone, but with a
kindlier feeling than she ordinarily permitted herself to express.
"They tell me that I have done you harm."

"Heaven knows if that be so," replied the young man, solemnly. "But,
Lady Eleanore, in requital of that harm, if such there be, and for
your own earthly and heavenly welfare, I pray you to take one sip of
this holy wine and then to pass the goblet round among the guests. And
this shall be a symbol that you have not sought to withdraw yourself
from the chain of human sympathies, which whoso would shake off must
keep company with fallen angels."

"Where has this mad fellow stolen that sacramental vessel?" exclaimed
the Episcopal clergyman.

This question drew the notice of the guests to the silver cup, which
was recognized as appertaining to