keenest
sarcasm.

"What would you do, Capitola?" asked Clara, raising her tearful eyes to
the last speaker.

"Marry Mr. Craven Le Noir and thank him, too!" said Cap. Then, suddenly
changing her tone, she exclaimed:

"I wish--oh! how I wish it was only me in your place--that it was only
me they were trying to marry against my will!"

"What would you do?" asked Clara, earnestly.

"What would I do? Oh! wouldn't I make them know the difference between
their Sovereign Lady and Sam the Lackey? If I had been in your place
and that dastard Le Noir had said to me what he said to you, I do
believe I should have stricken him dead with the lightning of my eyes!
But what shall you do, my poor Clara?"

"Alas! alas! see here! this is my last resort!" replied the unhappy
girl, showing the little pen-knife.

"Put it away from you! put it away from you!" exclaimed Capitola
earnestly, "suicide is never, never, never justifiable! God is the Lord
of life and death! He is the only judge whether a mortal's sorrows are
to be relieved by death, and when He does not Himself release you, He
means that you shall live and endure! That proves that suicide is never
right, let the Roman pagans have said and done what they pleased. So no
more of that! There are enough other ways of escape for you!"

"Ah! what are they? You would give me life by teaching me how to
escape!" said Clara, fervently.

"The first and most obvious means that suggests itself to my mind,"
said Cap, "is to--run away!"

"Ah! that is impossible. The servants are warned; the doors are all
locked; I am watched!"

"Then the next plan is equally obvious. Consent to go with them to the
church, and when you get there, denounce them and claim the protection
of the clergyman!"

"Ah! dear girl, that is still more impracticable. The officiating
clergyman is their friend, and even if I could consent to act a
deceitful part, and should go to church as if to marry Craven and upon
getting there denounce him, instead of receiving the protection of the
clergyman I should be restored to the hands of my legal guardian and be
brought back here to meet a fate worse than death," said Clara, in a
tone of despair.

Capitola did not at once reply, but fell into deep thought, which
lasted many minutes. Then, speaking more gravely than she had spoken
before, she said:

"There is but one plan of escape left, your only remaining chance, and
that full of danger!"

"Oh, why should I fear d