ou shall be sought unto by many
For the world thinks that I was very rich.
No greater misery can befall you, Bess,
Than to become a prey, and, afterwards,
To be despised.'_

'Human enough,' said Stukeley,
'And yet--self-love, self-love!'

'Ah no,' quoth she,
'You have not heard the end: _God knows, I speak it
Not to dissuade you_--not to dissuade you, mark--
_From marriage. That will be the best for you,
Both in respect of God and of the world._
Was _that_ self-love, Sir Lewis? Ah, not all.
And thus he ended: _For his father's sake
That chose and loved you in his happiest times,
Remember your poor child! The Everlasting,
Infinite, powerful, and inscrutable God,
Keep you and yours, have mercy upon me,
And teach me to forgive my false accusers_--
Wrong, even in death, you see. Then--_My true wife,
Farewell!
Bless my poor boy! Pray for me! My true God,
Hold you both in His arms, both in His arms!_
I know that he was wrong. You did not know,
Sir Lewis, that he had left me a little child.
Come closer. You shall see its orphaned face,
The sad, sad relict of a man that loved
His country--all that's left to me. Come, look!'
She beckoned Stukeley nearer. He bent down
Curiously. Her feverish fingers drew

The white wrap from the bundle in her arms,
And, with a smile that would make angels weep,
She showed him, pressed against her naked breast,
Terrible as Medusa, the grey flesh
And shrivelled face, embalmed, the thing that dropped
Into the headsman's basket, months agone,--
The head of Raleigh.
Half her body lay
Bare, while she held that grey babe to her heart;
But Judas hid his face....
'Living,' she said, 'he was not always mine;
But--dead--I shall not wean him'--
Then, I too
Covered my face--I cannot tell you more.
There was a dreadful silence in that room,
Silence that, as I know, shattered the brain
Of Stukeley.--When I dared to raise my head
Beneath that silent thunder of our God,
The man had gone--
This is his letter, sirs,
Written from Lundy Island: "_For God's love,
Tell them it is a cruel thing to say
That I drink blood. I have no secret sin.
A thousand pound is not s