my lady! he ought to know."

Lady Thetford covered her face with a groan. "I promised his father on
his death-bed to tell him long ago, to seek for his rightful heir--and
see how I have kept my word. But I could not--I could not! It was not in
human nature--not in such a nature as mine, wronged as I have been."

"But now--oh, my dear lady! now you will?"

"Yes, now, on the verge of the grave, I may surely speak. I dare not die
with my promise unkept. This very night," Lady Thetford cried, sitting
up, flushed and excited, "my boy shall know all--he shall not marry in
ignorance of whom he really is. Aileen has the fortune of a princess;
and Aileen will not love him less for the title he must lose. When he
comes home, Mrs. Weymore, send him to me, and send your son with him,
and I will tell them all."

CHAPTER XIII.

"THERE IS MANY A SLIP."

A room that was like a picture--a carpet of rose-buds gleaming through
rich-green moss, lounges piled with downy-silk pillows, a bed curtained
in lace, foamy white, plump, and tempting, fluted panels, and delicious
little medallion pictures of celebrated beauties smiling down from the
pink-tinted back-ground; a pretty room--Aileen Jocyln's
_chambre-a-coucher_, and looking like a picture herself, in a loose,
flowing morning-robe, all ungirdled, the rich, dark hair falling heavy
and unbound to her waist, Aileen Jocyln lay among piles of cushions,
like some young Eastern Sultana.

Lay and mused with, oh! such an infinitely happy smile upon her
exquisite face; mused, as happy youth, loving and beloved, upon its
bridal-eve does muse. Nay, on her bridal-day, for the dainty little
French clock on the bracket, was pointing its golden hands to three.

The house was very still; all had retired late, busy with preparations
for the morrow, and Miss Jocyln had just dismissed her maid. Every one,
probably, but herself, was asleep; and she, in her unutterable bliss,
was too happy for slumber. She arose, presently, walked to the window
and looked out. The late-setting moon still swung in the sky; the stars
still spangled the cloudless blue, and shone serene on the purple bosom
of the far-spreading sea; but in the East the first pale glimmer of the
new day shone--her happy wedding-day. The girl slid down on her knees,
her hands clasped, her radiant face, glorified with love and bliss,
turned ecstatically, as some faithful follower of the Prophet might, to
that rising glory of the East.