The conversation, however, which had
not been brilliant from the first, now sank and sank till it was
not; and after a cup of coffee, his lordship, remarking that he was
not feeling himself, begged Donal to excuse him, and proceeded to
retire. Donal rose, and with a hope that his lordship would have a
good night and feel better in the morning, left the room.
The passage outside was lighted only by a rather dim lamp, and in
the distance Donal saw what he could but distinguish as the form of
a woman, standing by the door which opened upon the great staircase.
He supposed it at first to be one of the maids; but the servants
were so few compared with the size of the castle that one was seldom
to be met on stair or in passage; and besides, the form stood as if
waiting for some one! As he drew nearer, he saw it was lady Arctura,
and would have passed with an obeisance. But ere he could lay his
hand on the lock, hers was there to prevent him. He then saw that
she was agitated, and that she had stopped him thus because her
voice had at the moment failed her. The next moment, however, she
recovered it, and her self-possession as well.
"Mr. Grant," she said, in a low voice, "I wish to speak to you--if
you will allow me."
"I am at your service, my lady," answered Donal.
"But we cannot here! My uncle--"
"Shall we go into the picture-gallery?" suggested Donal; "there is
moonlight there.
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