"You must have Mercury and Venus very strongly aspected," quoth the
Cobbler; "and if you have the Dragon's Head in the Tenth House, you may
count on being much talked of after you are dead."

"After I am dead!--sinister omen!" said Vance, discomposed. "I have no
faith in artists who count on being talked of after they are dead. Never
knew a dauber who did not! But stand back: time flies; tie up your hair;
put on your bonnet, Titania. You have a shawl?--not tinsel, I hope!
quieter the better. You stay and see to her, Lionel."

Said the gaunt servant-of-all-work to Mr. Merle, "I'd let the gentleman
paint me, if he likes: shall I tell him, master?"

"Go back to the bacon, foolish woman. Why, he gave L3 for her likeness,
'cause of her Benefics! But you'd have to give him three years' wages
afore he'd look you straight in the face, 'cause, you see, your Aspects
are crooked. And," added the Cobbler, philosophizing, "when the Malefics
are dead agin a girl's mug, man is so constituted by natur' that he can't
take to that mug unless it has a golden handle. Don't fret, 't is not
your fault: born under Scorpio,--coarse-limbed,--dull complexion; and the
Head of the Dragon aspected of Infortunes in all your Angles."




CHAPTER XIV.

The historian takes advantage of the summer hours vouchsafed to the
present life of Mr. Waife's grandchild, in order to throw a few
gleams of light on her past.--He leads her into the palace of our