the beauteous maid, grey-gowned and sandal-shoon, flitted by without
deigning so much as a look. And my Lady Constance swept by with hate
of this formidable creature in her evil heart. She felt it was almost
understood that Lord Cedric would espouse her; she, Lady Constance
Clarmot. To be sure, she was somewhat of riper years than he, but that
counted for naught since they had always loved each other. She was
of a great family and proud and had of her own, titles and estates
and--yes, beauty. She fell to thinking of the many ways in which
Cedric had shown his love for her. He had consulted her on all
occasions upon the most trivial matters until the present instance.
"Could it be possible she is some soft-natured wench that hath fallen
beneath his eye and charmed him, and he has brought her here? Nay,
nay, he would not bring such an one beneath his roof while I remained,
and yet I have but just come and he hath kept her hid; 'tis possible
he will send her away at once." She soliloquized thus until the
candles were brought, and the curtains drawn to shut out the storm,
and she sat beneath her maid's hands heeding naught save her bitter
thoughts. "What had become of Adrian? Why had he not been in to see
her; surely by this time he had learned something being out the
whole afternoon hunting, perhaps side by side with Cedric." Thus
she fretted, and scolded her maid until it was time to go to the
drawing-room. It was a picturesque scene; the ancient castle with
its crenellated tower, from which now pointed a tall flag-pole,
the British Royal Ensign bound closely about it, its colours being
distinctly visible through its casing of ice; for an immense
quadruple-faced light was placed high up in the fork of a tree
opposite the great window of the vaulted saloon, casting its beam to
the very pinnacle of the ensign-staff; lighting the castle from end to
end upon its northern side, where the great avenues converged. A shaft
reluctantly and gloomily effused the near density of the forest;