Audrey

It did not so. Instead, when he had drunken more wine, and had sat for

some time methodically measuring, over and over again, with thumb and

forefinger, the distance from candle to bottle, and from bottle to glass,

the idea began to lose its wildfire aspect. In no great time it appeared

an inspiration as reasonable as happy. When this point had been reached,

he stamped upon the floor to summon his servant from the room below. "Lay

out the white and gold, Juba," he ordered, when the negro appeared, "and

come make me very fine. I am for the Palace,--I and a brown lady that hath

bewitched me! The white sword knot, sirrah; and cock my hat with the

diamond brooch"-It was a night that was thronged with stars, and visited by a whispering

wind. Haward, walking rapidly along the almost deserted Nicholson Street,

lifted his burning forehead to the cool air and the star-strewn fields of

heaven. Coming to the gate by which he had entered the afternoon before,

he raised the latch and passed into the garden. By now his fever was full

upon him, and it was a man scarce to be held responsible for his actions

that presently knocked at the door of the long room where, at the window

opening upon Palace Street, Audrey sat with Mistress Stagg and watched the

people going to the ball.