answered, in a low, bitter voice. "'Twas your
ladyship who did that."

She faintly, slowly smiled.

"I should not have been like to do otherwise," she said; "'tis an
honourable condition. I would advise you to enter it."

CHAPTER XI--Wherein a noble life comes to an end

When the earl and his countess went to their house in the country, there
fell to Mistress Anne a great and curious piece of good fortune. In her
wildest dreams she had never dared to hope that such a thing might be.

My Lady Dunstanwolde, on her first visit home, bore her sister back with
her to the manor, and there established her. She gave her a suite of
rooms and a waiting woman of her own, and even provided her with a
suitable wardrobe. This last she had chosen herself with a taste and
fitness which only such wit as her own could have devised.

"They are not great rooms I give thee, Anne," she said, "but quiet and
small ones, which you can make home-like in such ways as I know your
taste lies. My lord has aided me to choose romances for your shelves, he
knowing more of books than I do. And I shall not dress thee out like a
peacock with gay colours and great farthingales. They would frighten
thee, poor woman, and be a burden with their weight. I have chosen such
things as are not too splendid, but will suit thy pale face and shot
partridge eyes."

Anne stood in the middle of her room and looked about at its comforts,
wondering.

"Sister," she said, "why are you so good to me? What have I done to
serve you? Why is it Anne instead of Barbara you are so gracious to?"

"Perchance because I am a vain woman and would be worshipped as you
worship me."

"But you are always worshipped," Anne faltered.

"Ay, by men!" said Clorinda, mocking; "but not by women. And it may be
that my pride is so high that I must be worshipped by a woman too. You
would always love me, sister Anne. If you saw me break the law--if you
saw me stab the man I hated to the heart, you would think it must be
pardoned to me."

She laughed, and yet her voice was such that Anne lost her breath and
caught at it again.

"Ay, I should love you, sister!" she cried. "Even then I could not but
love you. I should know you could not strike so an innocent creature,
and that to be so hated he must have been worthy of hate. You--are not
like other women, sister Clorinda; but you could not be base--for you
have a great heart."

Clorinda put her hand to her side