till 'twas gone.

Then she stood with her hands pressed upon her eyeballs and her brow, her
thoughts moving in great leaps. Although it reeled, the brain which had
worked for her ever, worked clear and strong, setting before her what was
impending, arguing her case, showing her where dangers would arise, how
she must provide against them, what she must defend and set at defiance.
The power of will with which she had been endowed at birth, and which had
but grown stronger by its exercise, was indeed to be compared to some
great engine whose lever 'tis not nature should be placed in human hands;
but on that lever her hand rested now, and to herself she vowed she would
control it, since only thus might she be saved. The torture she had
undergone for months, the warring of the evil past with the noble
present, of that which was sweet and passionately loving woman with that
which was all but devil, had strung her to a pitch so intense and high
that on the falling of this unnatural and unforeseen blow she was left
scarce a human thing. Looking back, she saw herself a creature doomed
from birth; and here in one moment seemed to stand a force ranged in mad
battle with the fate which had doomed her.

"'Twas ordained that the blow should fall so," she said, "and those who
did it laugh--laugh at me."

'Twas but a moment, and her sharp breathing became even and regular as
though at her command; her face composed itself, and she turned to the
bell and rang it as with imperious haste.

When the lacquey entered, she was standing holding papers in her hand as
if she had but just been consulting them.

"Follow Sir John Oxon," she commanded. "Tell him I have forgot an
important thing and beg him to return at once. Lose no time. He has but
just left me and can scarce be out of sight."

The fellow saw there was no time to lose. They all feared that imperial
eye of hers and fled to obey its glances. Bowing, he turned, and
hastened to do her bidding, fearing to admit that he had not seen the
guest leave, because to do so would be to confess that he had been absent
from his post, which was indeed the truth.

She knew he would come back shortly, and thus he did, entering somewhat
breathed by his haste.

"My lady," he said, "I went quickly to the street, and indeed to the
corner of it, but Sir John was not within sight."

"Fool, you were not swift enough!" she said angrily. "Wait, you must go
to his lodgings with a note. Th