gesture. 'She would have died of tedium in
England, or broken forth so as to have a true scandal. That is all over,
father, now; weigh my proposal! Nothing else will save my brother from
all that his cruel hand merits! You will win infinite credit at court.
The King loved him more than you thought safe.'

'The King has not a year to live, child, and he has personally offended
the King of Poland. Besides, this youth is heretic.'

'Only by education. Have I not heard you say that he had by an
abjuration. And as to Monsieur's enmity, if it be not forgotten, the
glory of bringing about a conversion would end that at once.'

'Then, daughter, thou shouldst not have let him bury himself among the
English.'

'It was unavoidable, father, and perhaps if he were here he would live
in an untamable state of distrust, whereas we may now win him gradually.
You will go and see him to-morrow, my dear father.'

'I must have time to think of this thy sudden device.'

'Nay, he is in no condition to hear of it at present. I did but speak
now, that you might not regard it as sudden when the fit moment comes.
It is the fixed purpose of my mind. I am no girl now, and I could act
for myself if I would; but as it is for your interest and that of my
brother thus to dispose of me, it is better that you should act for me.'

'Child, headstrong child, thou wilt make no scandal,' said the
Chevalier, looking up at his daughter's handsome head drawn up proudly
with determination.

'Certainly not, sir, if you will act for me.' And Diane sailed away in
her sweeping folds of black brocade.

In a few moments more she was kneeling with hands locked together before
a much-gilded little waxem figure of St. Eustacie with his cross-bearing
stag by his side, which stood in a curtained recess in the alcove where
her stately bed was placed.

'Monseigneur St. Eustache, ten wax candles everyday to your shrine at
Bellaise, so he recovers; ten more if he listen favourably and loves me.
Nay, all--all the Selinville jewels to make you a shrine. All--all, so
he will only let me love him;' and then, while taking up the beads, and
pronouncing the repeated devotions attached to each, her mind darted
back to the day when, as young children, she had played unfairly,
defrauded Landry Osbert, and denied it; how Berenger, though himself
uninjured, had refused to speak to her all that day--how she had hated
him then--how she had thought she had hated him throughout thei