e had
attended her mistress to the altar,--when she hoped before many weeks
to stand at an altar on her own account.--Not yet, Salome, nor in this
world. Perchance not in another; for they who maim their earthly lives
may not enjoy in heaven the happiness whose seed was not planted here.
The injury is justly irreparable; else had angels been immediately
created.

But Salome was practising deception on herself. Airs and graces which
might have suited a coquettish lady's-maid, but were in her a ghastly
absurdity, did she revive and perpetrate. Struggling to repress the
ugly truth, she was in continual dread of exposure. Fain would she
dream for an hour of youth and beauty, knowing, yet veiling the
knowledge, that it was a dream. Divining her desire, Balder helped out
the masquerade as best he might. She was thankfully aware of his
kindness, yet shunned acknowledgment, as a too bare betrayal of the
cause of thanks.

As they passed a cracked cheval-glass in an intervening room, the
bridesmaid stole a glance at her reflection, flirting her fan and
giving an imposing whisk to the train of her gown. Helwyse, whom,
three days before, this behavior would simply have amused, felt only
pitying sympathy to-day. Gnulemah was always before him, and charmed
his eyes and thoughts even to the hag on his arm. He brought himself
to address courteous and pleasant remarks to his companion, and to
meet unwincingly her one-eyed glance; and was as gallant as though her
pretence had been truth.

On entering the conservatory, Nurse seemed as much agitated as though
she, instead of Gnulemah, were to be chief actress in the coming
ceremony. At the Sphinx door she relinquished Balder's arm, and,
hurrying across the conservatory, vanished behind Gnulemah's curtain.
As she passed out of sight she threw a parting glance over her
shoulder. The action recalled Gnulemah's backward look of the day
previous, when she had fled at the sound of the closing door. What
ugly fatality suggested so fantastic a parallel between this creature
and Balder's future wife!

He entered the temple, which glowed and sparkled like a sombre gem.
Many-colored lamps were hung on wires passing round the hall from
pillar to massive pillar. Their glare defined the strange character of
the Egyptian architecture and ornament; nevertheless, the place looked
less real and substantial than in the morning. It seemed the
impalpable creation of an enchanter, which his wand would ano