The Midnight Queen [6]
a portion of the contents of the casket into the
caldron, and "spake aloud the words of power." Another cloud of
smoke arose and filled the room, and when it cleared away, Sir
Norman beheld a third and less startling sight. The scene and
place he could not discover, but it seemed to him like night and
a storm. Two men were lying on the ground, and bound fast
together, it appeared to him. As he looked, it faded away, and
once more his own face seemed to mock him in the clear water.
"Do you know those two last figures!" asked the lady.
"I do," said Sir Norman, promptly; "it was Ormiston and myself."
"Right! and one of them was dead."
"Dead!" exclaimed Sir Norman, with a perceptible start. "Which
one, madam?"
"If you cannot tell that, neither can I. If there is anything
further you wish to see, I am quite willing to show it to you."
"I'm obliged to you," said Sir Norman, stepping back; "but no
more at present, thank you. Do you mean to say, madam, that I'm
some day to murder a lady, especially one so beautiful as she I
just now saw?"
"I have said nothing - all you've seen will come to pass, and
whether your destiny be for good or evil, I have nothing to do
with it, except," said the sweet voice, earnestly, "that if La
Masque could strew Sir Norman Kingsley's pathway with roses, she
would most assuredly do so."
"Madam, you are too kind," said that young gentleman, laying his
hand on his heart, while Ormiston scowled darkly - "more
especially as I've the misfortune to be a perfect stranger to
you."
"Not so, Sir Norman. I have known you this many a day; and
before long we shall be better acquainted. Permit me to wish you
good evening!"
At this gentle hint, both gentlemen bowed themselves out, and
soon found themselves in the street, with very different
expressions of countenance. Sir Norman looking considerably
pleased and decidedly puzzled, and Mr. Ormiston looking savagely
and uncompromisingly jealous. The animated skeleton who had
admitted them closed the door after them; and the two friends
stood in the twilight on London Bridge.
CHAPTER II.
THE DEAD BRIDE
"Well," said Ormiston, drawing a long bath, "what do you think of
"that?"
"Think? Don't ask me yet." said Sir Norman, looking rather
bewildered. "I'm in such a state of mystification that I don't
rightly know whether I'm standing on my head or feet. For one
thing, I have come to the conclusion that your masked ladylove
must be enchantingly beautiful."
"Have I not told you that a thousand times, O thou of little
faith? But why have you come to such a conclusion?"
"Because no woman with such a figure, such a voice and such hands
could be otherwise."
"I knew you would own it some day. Do you wonder now that I love
her?"
"Oh! as to loving her," said Sir Norman, coolly, "that's quite
another thing. I could no more love her or her hands, voice, and
shape, than I could a figure in wood or wax; but I admire her
vastly, and think her extremely clever. I will never forget that
face in the caldron. It was the most exquisitely beautiful I
ever saw."
"In love with the shadow of a face! Why, you are a thousand-fold
more absurd than I."
"No," said Sir Norman, thoughtfully, "I don't know as I'm in love
with it; but if ever I see a living face like it, I certainly
shall be. How did La Masque do it, I wonder?"
"You had better ask her," said Ormiston, bitterly. "She seems to
have taken an unusual interest in you at first sight. She would
strew your path with roses, forsooth! Nothing earthly, I
believe, would make her say anything half so tender to me."
Sir Norman laughed, and stroked his moustache complacently.
"All a matter of taste, my dear fellow: and these women are noted
for their perfection in that line. I begin to admire La Masque
more and more,
caldron, and "spake aloud the words of power." Another cloud of
smoke arose and filled the room, and when it cleared away, Sir
Norman beheld a third and less startling sight. The scene and
place he could not discover, but it seemed to him like night and
a storm. Two men were lying on the ground, and bound fast
together, it appeared to him. As he looked, it faded away, and
once more his own face seemed to mock him in the clear water.
"Do you know those two last figures!" asked the lady.
"I do," said Sir Norman, promptly; "it was Ormiston and myself."
"Right! and one of them was dead."
"Dead!" exclaimed Sir Norman, with a perceptible start. "Which
one, madam?"
"If you cannot tell that, neither can I. If there is anything
further you wish to see, I am quite willing to show it to you."
"I'm obliged to you," said Sir Norman, stepping back; "but no
more at present, thank you. Do you mean to say, madam, that I'm
some day to murder a lady, especially one so beautiful as she I
just now saw?"
"I have said nothing - all you've seen will come to pass, and
whether your destiny be for good or evil, I have nothing to do
with it, except," said the sweet voice, earnestly, "that if La
Masque could strew Sir Norman Kingsley's pathway with roses, she
would most assuredly do so."
"Madam, you are too kind," said that young gentleman, laying his
hand on his heart, while Ormiston scowled darkly - "more
especially as I've the misfortune to be a perfect stranger to
you."
"Not so, Sir Norman. I have known you this many a day; and
before long we shall be better acquainted. Permit me to wish you
good evening!"
At this gentle hint, both gentlemen bowed themselves out, and
soon found themselves in the street, with very different
expressions of countenance. Sir Norman looking considerably
pleased and decidedly puzzled, and Mr. Ormiston looking savagely
and uncompromisingly jealous. The animated skeleton who had
admitted them closed the door after them; and the two friends
stood in the twilight on London Bridge.
CHAPTER II.
THE DEAD BRIDE
"Well," said Ormiston, drawing a long bath, "what do you think of
"that?"
"Think? Don't ask me yet." said Sir Norman, looking rather
bewildered. "I'm in such a state of mystification that I don't
rightly know whether I'm standing on my head or feet. For one
thing, I have come to the conclusion that your masked ladylove
must be enchantingly beautiful."
"Have I not told you that a thousand times, O thou of little
faith? But why have you come to such a conclusion?"
"Because no woman with such a figure, such a voice and such hands
could be otherwise."
"I knew you would own it some day. Do you wonder now that I love
her?"
"Oh! as to loving her," said Sir Norman, coolly, "that's quite
another thing. I could no more love her or her hands, voice, and
shape, than I could a figure in wood or wax; but I admire her
vastly, and think her extremely clever. I will never forget that
face in the caldron. It was the most exquisitely beautiful I
ever saw."
"In love with the shadow of a face! Why, you are a thousand-fold
more absurd than I."
"No," said Sir Norman, thoughtfully, "I don't know as I'm in love
with it; but if ever I see a living face like it, I certainly
shall be. How did La Masque do it, I wonder?"
"You had better ask her," said Ormiston, bitterly. "She seems to
have taken an unusual interest in you at first sight. She would
strew your path with roses, forsooth! Nothing earthly, I
believe, would make her say anything half so tender to me."
Sir Norman laughed, and stroked his moustache complacently.
"All a matter of taste, my dear fellow: and these women are noted
for their perfection in that line. I begin to admire La Masque
more and more,