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108 whole story, so far as the facts were known to him. ‘Women,’ he went on, ‘are odd creatures; it is no use trying to advance them in the world unless they have exactly the right temperament.’ After naming several examples, he referred to the failure of his own daughter, Lady Chūjō: ‘She is by no means bad looking,’ he said, ‘and she has had every possible advantage. Yet now she has managed things so badly that she is thrust aside in favour of some one who seemed to have no chance at all. I sometimes feel that it is quite useless to make these family plans. I hope indeed that I shall be able to do better for this little lady ; and there did at one time seem to be a chance that so soon as the Crown Prince was almost old enough for his Initiation I might be able to do something for her in that direction. But now I hear that the little girl from Akashi is being spoken of as the future Empress Presumptive, and if that is so I fear that no one else has any chance.’ ‘How can you say such a thing?’ asked the Princess indignantly. ‘You have far too low an opinion of your own family. The late Minister, your father, always believed firmly that we should one day have the credit of supplying a partner to the Throne, and he took immense pains to get this child of yours accepted in the Imperial Household at the earliest possible moment. If only he were alive, things would never have gone wrong like this.’ It was evident, from what she went on to say, that she felt very indignant at Genji’s conduct in the matter.

It was a very pretty sight to see little Lady Kumoi playing her mother’s great thirteen-stringed zithern. Her hair fell forward across her face with a charming effect as she bent over her instrument. Chūjō was just thinking how graceful and distinguished the child’s appearance was

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Rh when, feeling that she was being watched, Lady Kumoi shyly turned away, showing for a moment as she did so a profile of particular beauty. The poise of her left hand, as with small fingers she depressed the heavy strings, was such as one sees in Buddhist carvings. Even her grandmother, who had watched her at her lessons day by day, could not hold back a murmur of admiration.

When they had played several duets the big zithern was removed, and Tō no Chūjō played a few pieces on his six-stringed Japanese zithern, using the harsh ‘major’ tuning which was appropriate to the season. Played not too solemnly and by so skilful a hand as Chūjō’s, this somewhat strident mode was very agreeable. On the boughs outside the window only a few ragged leaves were left; while within several groups of aged gentlewomen clustering with their heads together behind this or that curtain-of-state, moved by Chūjō’s playing were shedding the tears that people at that time of life are only too ready to let fall upon any provocation. ‘It needs but a light wind to strip the autumn boughs,’ quoted Chūjō, and continuing the quotation, he added: ‘ “It cannot be the music of my zithern that has moved them. Though they know it not, it is the sad beauty of this autumn evening that has provoked their sudden tears.” But come, let us have more music before we part.’ Upon this Princess Ōmiya and her daughter played The Autumn Wind and Tō no Chūjō sang the words with so delightful an effect that every one present was just thinking how much his presence added to the amenity of any gathering, when yet another visitor arrived. Yūgiri thinking that such an evening was wasted if not spent in agreeable company, had come over from Genji’s palace to the Great

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110 Hall. ‘Here she is,’ said Tō no Chūjō, leading the boy towards the curtain-of-state behind which Kumoi was now sitting. ‘You see she is a little shy of you and has taken refuge behind her curtains.’ And then looking at Yūgiri: ‘I don’t believe all this reading is suiting you. Your father himself agrees with me; I know that learning easily becomes a useless and tedious thing if pushed beyond a reasonable point. However, in your case he must have had some particular reason for supposing that academic honours would be useful. I do not know what was in his mind, but be that as it may, I am sure it is bad for you to be bending all day over your books!’ And again: ‘I am sure that you ought sometimes to have a change. Come now, play a tune on my flute. Your masters can have no objection to that, for is not the flute itself the subject of a hundred antique and learned stories?’ Yūgiri took the flute and played a tune or two with a certain boyish faltering, but with very agreeable effect. The zitherns were laid aside and while Chūjō beat the measure softly with his hands, Yūgiri sang to them the old ballad ‘Shall I wear my flowered dress?’ ‘This is just the sort of concert that Genji so much enjoys,’ said Tō no Chūjō, ‘and that is why he is always trying to get free from the ties of business. Nor do I blame him; for the world is an unpleasant place at best, and surely one might as well spend one’s time doing what one likes, instead of toiling day after day at things that do not interest one in the least.’

He passed round the wine-flagon, and as it was now getting dark, the great lamp was brought in, soon followed by supper. When the meal was over, Tō no Chūjō sent Lady Kumoi back to her room. It did not escape the notice of Princess Ōmiya’s gentlewomen that Chūjō was anxious to keep Yūgiri and his little daughter as far as possible apart. ‘Why, he has sent her away,’ they whispered, ‘because he

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60 MARIE ANTOINETTE'S TALISMAN. guished in a dungeon; while she, who wears the ring, has seen her great popularity vanish from the hearts of the people, and all the power of the throne began to crumble beneath her feet from the very hour that she mounted it."

"I have often thought of that," said Zamara, who was now more than formerly the companion of his mistress. "When I heard that he was alive, a great terror seized upon me, for I saw great danger to the queen in his release, greater danger to yourself. The people will know that you cast this learned man into prison without even naming his crime; they will believe that the queen kept him there through all these long years."

When she did not even know of his existence!" exclaimed the countess. "See how just this great monster, the people, is!"

"Just! It is a ferocious wild beast, with no higher reason than the instinct of rage and greed- a wild beast that may easily be goaded into madness."

"And the release of this man may do it- I see that, I see that!" cried the countess. "But how to avoid the peril? The populace had  almost forgotten me; this will arouse the old  hatred afresh. Ah! if I had but one friend!"

Poor woman! this was a mournful cry from one who had seen a whole nation at her feet; but of all that host of abject flatterers, this In- dian dwarf, the creature of her bounty, the plaything of her fancy, the scoff of her former worshipers, alone stood faithful to the end. This it was that wrung the cry from her heart.

The dwarf stood near her, troubled and anxious as a dog waiting for orders. At last he drew close to her chair, a gleam of partial relief came into her face as she looked into his.

"You have thought of something," she said. "What is it, my friend?"

"Mistress, this man must not come out of the Bastile." Zamara spoke almost in a whisper, and looked warily around, as if afraid of being overheard.

"But how can we prevent it?" "You know the superintendent?"

"Yes. When he was young, I obtained for him a subordinate place in the prison," answered the countess." That is a pity!" "But why?"

"Gratitude does not often stretch back so many years - it has neither the life or grasp of  revenge. I would rather this man owed you  nothing." A low, bitter laugh broke from the countess as she replied,

"Never fear, the man will have forgotten it."

"Then our task is easier. I do not know how it is to be done. Give me a little time for thought. Will it be possible to keep this young girl here till morning?"

Not of her own free will, if she has her father's pardon, as you say, in her bosom. I have never seen so much happiness in a human face. She is very lovely. Ah! it is a terrible thing to break up all this joy!"

But more terrible to be driven to a strange land, or torn by a mob," answered Zamara.

"I know I know. Oh ! why did I not let this poor man alone! He would have done me no harm. Now, I think of it, the girl looks like her father; his face was almost as fair as hers, his eyes of the same tender blue. It is strange how clearly I remember them-and she is so happy?"

There was irresolution in the woman's words, and in her heart. Disappointment, trouble, and ingratitude, had broken down her arrogance and humanized her conscience. She felt a yearning desire to protect this young girl in  her happiness, and give her wronged father back to his life.

Zamara saw this, and trembled. He understood better than she did the danger that lay before them. Before he could urge the conversation further, Dame Tillery came into the room, followed by a maid-servant, who carried a tray,  on which were some delicate trifles, and a plate fresh figs, for madame's desert.

The good dame burst into a torrent of excla mations when she found that the first courses of her dinner was untouched, and became pathetic in her entreaties that madame would just taste  the fresh fruit, and delicate cakes, which was to have been the crowning glory of her meal. The countess consented to taste the fruit, but only on condition that Dame Tillery should, in the meantime, help dispose of the viands which had been so long neglected.

Dame Tillery was not so elated by her reception at the palace as to lose any portion of her fine appetite. "It was a shame," she said, "to allow such delicious patties, and that lovely pul let, without mentioning the delicate salad, to be taken back ignominiously to the kitchen. They might be a little cold; but, even then, any one must understand that a cold dinner at the Swan  was worth a dozen hot ones at any other public  house in Versailles. She would just cut a slice from the breast of the pullet; perhaps seeing her eat would give madame an appetite." Here Dame Tillery put away her outer garments, set her fan in a corner, and drawing a

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Rh does not want her to hear the little gentleman play on the zithern. There will be a sad awakening for him one day, if he goes on treating them like that….’ When Tō no Chūjō at length withdrew, he remembered that he had not given certain instructions to one of the Princess’s ladies, and stealing back into the room he delivered his message as quietly as possible and was on his way out of the room again, when he caught the sound of his own name. A group of ancient gentlewomen at the far end of the apartment had not noticed his return and their whispering had gone on uninterrupted. He stood still and, listening intently, heard the words: ‘He is supposed to be a very clever man. But people are always fools when it comes to dealing with their own children. I could never see any sense at all in that proverb—you know the one I mean—“No one knows a child but its parents.” All nonsense, I say,’ and she nudged her neighbour expressively. This was a shock to Chūjō. It meant, he realized as he hurried from the room, that the friendship between these two children, which he had hoped to keep within bounds, had already, in the eyes of the household, taken on a romantic tinge. The old ladies within suddenly heard the sharp cry of Chūjō’s outriders. ‘Well! What do you think of that?’ they said. ‘He’s only just starting! Where has he been hiding all this time? I’ll tell you what. He’s up to some of his old tricks again, you mark my words!’ And another: ‘I thought a fresh puff of scent blew this way; but little Prince Yūgiri has got some just like it, and I fancied it was his. Do you think His Excellency was anywhere round here? It would be a terrible thing for all of us if he heard what we said after we thought he had gone away. He’s got a hasty temper….’ ‘Well, after all, there is really nothing to worry about,’ thought Tō no Chūjō, as he drove to the Palace. ‘It is perfectly natural that they

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112 should have made friends.’ But it really would be very galling if after the failure of Lady Chūjō to get herself made Empress, Lady Kumoi should through this boy-and-girl affair lose her chance of becoming Empress Presumptive.

Now as always, he was really on very good terms with Genji; but, just as in old days, their interests sometimes clashed, and Chūjō lay awake a long while calling to mind their boyish rivalry and later jealousies. The old princess saw all that was going on; but Yūgiri was her favourite grand-child, and whatever he did she accepted as perfectly justified. But she too was very much irritated by various conversations that she overheard, and henceforward watched over the situation with all the concentration of which her vigorous and somewhat acrid nature was capable.

Only two days later Tō no Chūjō came to his mother’s rooms again. The princess was extremely flattered and pleased; it was seldom that he honoured her with two visits in such rapid succession. Before receiving him she had her hair set to rights and sent for her best gown; for though he was her own child he had become so important that she never felt quite sure of herself in his presence, and was as anxious to make a good impression as if he had been a complete stranger. It was soon evident on this occasion that he was in a very bad temper: ‘I hesitated to come again so soon,’ he said; ‘I am afraid your servants must think it very strange. I know I am not so competent as my father and cannot look after you as he did; but we have always seen a great deal of one another and, I hope, always shall. Look back over all that time, and I do not think you will be able to recall one occasion upon which there has been any sort of breach or misunderstanding between us. It never occurred to me as possible that I should ever come here with the express purpose of scolding you, least of all about an affair of this particular sort; but that is why I

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Rh am here….’ The old princess opened her eyes very wide and, under all the powder and paint that she had hurriedly applied when she heard of his coming, she visibly changed colour. ‘To what are you alluding?’ she asked. ‘It would indeed be surprising if you suddenly insisted upon picking a quarrel with a woman of my age. I should like to hear what it is all about.’ He quite agreed; it would be lamentable if after so many years of unbroken affection a difference should arise between them. Nevertheless he proceeded: ‘The matter is quite simple. I entrusted to your care a child from whom I myself had unfortunately been separated during her early years. I was at the time very much occupied with the future of my other daughter and was much exercised in mind to discover that, despite all my efforts, I could not do for her all that I had planned. But I had absolute confidence that this other child at any rate could be coming to no harm: I now find that quite the opposite is the case, and I think I have every right to complain. You will tell me, I know, that the young gentleman in question is a very fine scholar. He may for all I know be on his way to becoming the most learned man in the world; but that does not alter the fact that these two are first-cousins and have been brought up together. Should it become known that they are carrying on an intrigue, it would look as though very lax standards prevailed in your house. Such a thing would be considered scandalous even in any ordinary family. … I am thinking of Yūgiri’s future quite as much as that of my own child. What both of them need is a connection with quite new people; they would in the end find such an alliance as this too obvious and uninteresting. And if I on my side object to the match on these grounds, you may be sure that Genji, when he hears of it, will insist upon the boy looking further afield. If you could yourself do nothing to forestall this

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114 attachment, you might at least have informed me of its existence. I could then have had a chance of arranging the match, despite all its disadvantages, before the matter became the talk of the whole town. You could not have done worse than to leave these young people to their own devices.’

That the matter was so serious as this had never occurred to Princess Ōmiya at all, and she was horrified. ‘I entirely agree with you’; she said. ‘But how could I possibly know what was going on all the while in the minds of these two children? I am sure I am very sorry it has happened; indeed I have quite as much reason to lament over it as you have. But I think it is the young pair themselves, and not I, who ought to bear the blame for what has happened. You have no idea of all that I have done for this girl since you first sent her to me. She has had advantages such as it would never have occurred to you to suggest, and if, through a blindness very natural in a grandmother, I have too long regarded the boy’s friendship for her as a matter of no particular consequence, what reason is there to think that any harm has as yet been done? All your information on the subject is founded on the chatter of good-for-nothings who take a pleasure in damaging the reputations of every one round them. If you were to look into these stories you would probably find they were pure inventions, and stupid inventions at that!’ ‘Not at all!’ said Tō no Chūjō hotly. ‘It is not a question of slanders or lies. The way in which these two carry on together is a common matter for jest among your own ladies-in-waiting. It is a most disagreeable situation and I am worried about it’; and with that he left the room.

The news of all this rumpus soon went the round of the aged servants at the Great Hall and there was much wringing of hands. In particular the ladies whose conversation

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Rh had been overheard felt that, without meaning any harm, they had done irreparable damage, and could not imagine how they could have been so rash as to begin discussing such a subject directly His Excellency left the room.

Tō no Chūjō next looked in upon the young lady herself, and could not help being somewhat melted by her innocent and appealing air. He therefore passed on and went to look for her nurse. ‘I understood when I engaged you,’ he said, ‘that you were young; but one can be young without being infantile, and I supposed you had your wits about you like other people. I seem to have made a great mistake….’ To these sarcastic remarks it was impossible to make any reply; but the nurse said afterwards to one of her assistants: ‘How is one expected to prevent these things? Just the same might have happened if she had been the Emperor’s favourite daughter! In old stories the lovers are generally brought together by some go-between, but we certainly cannot be accused of having played any such part as that, for these two have been allowed to be together as much as they chose for years past; and if my Lady thought they were so young that there was no harm in it, what reason was there for us to interfere? But they have been seeing much less of each other for some while past, and the last thing in the world I should have suspected was that anything wrong could possibly have been going on. Why, the little gentleman looks quite a child; I can’t believe such things have ever entered his head.’

So the nurse afterwards declared. But while she was actually being scolded she merely hung her head, and Tō no Chūjō said at last: ‘That will do. I am not going to mention this business to anyone else at present. I am afraid a good many people must have heard about it, but you might at least contradict any rumours that you hear

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116 going about…. As for the young lady, I intend to have her moved to my palace as soon as I can arrange it. I think my mother has acted very imprudently; but she could not possibly have foreseen that you nurses would behave with such imbecility.’

So they were all going to move to the Prime Minister’s palace! Such was the young nurse’s first thought, and she found this prospect so attractive that, though she knew the loss of Lady Kumoi would be a sad blow to the old princess, she could not feel otherwise than elated. ‘There now, only think of it!’ she said, harping back to Tō no Chūjō’s injunction to secrecy. ‘And I had half a mind to go round to the Inspector’s house and tell the little lady’s mama! I should have thought this Prince Yūgiri was good enough for anyone; but of course he does not count as a member of the Royal Family, and they say Lady Kumoi’s mama has very grand ideas indeed.’ It was clearly no use saying any more to such a featherhead as this, and Kumoi herself was so young that it would be mere waste of breath to lecture her.

The old princess was upset by the affair; but she was fond of both her grand-children, perhaps especially of Yūgiri, and at the bottom of her heart she was extremely gratified at their having taken such a fancy to each other. On reflection it seemed to her that Tō no Chūjō had been very heartless about the matter and had also treated it far more seriously than it deserved. After all he had taken very little trouble about this girl himself, and had never once indicated that he had any ambitious plans for the future. Indeed, it really seemed as though the idea of offering her to the Imperial Household never occurred to him till this trouble arose, and had been invented, thought the old Princess indignantly, merely in order to furnish Tō no Chūjō with a colourable grievance. He had certainly

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Rh never really counted on this Palace plan; and granted that it was only an afterthought, he must often have contemplated the possibility of the child marrying a commoner. If so, where could a better match be found? Yūgiri was certainly, as regards birth and general advantages, more than the equal of Kumoi; indeed, she could not conceive that any lady would not feel proud to have him as her husband. This no doubt was due to a certain grandmotherly partiality on Ōmiya’s part; but be that as it may, she felt very cross with Tō no Chūjō. She was however determined not to let him know it, lest he should become even further incensed against the young people.

Quite unconscious of all the fuss that had been going on at the Great Hall, Yūgiri a few days afterwards again presented himself at his grandmother’s apartments. On the last occasion there had been so many people about that he had not managed to get a word in private with Lady Kumoi, and he now arrived very late in the evening, hoping that things would be quieter at such an hour. Old Lady Ōmiya was usually delighted to see him, and full of jokes and nonsense. But to-day she was terribly grave. ‘I am very much upset,’ she said at last, after talking stiffly of various indifferent matters, ‘because your uncle is displeased with you. It is unkind of you to take advantage of us all like this, because naturally I get the blame just as much as you. But that is not why I am talking about it. I mention the matter because you might not otherwise discover that you are in disgrace….’ The affair was so much on his mind already that after she had spoken two words he guessed all that was coming. The colour mounted to his cheeks: ‘I don’t know what he means,’ he said. ‘Since I began my lessons I have been shut up all the time and have scarcely seen anyone. Certainly nothing has happened that my uncle could possibly object to….’ It went to her

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118 heart to see what pain it cost him to discuss the subject with her. ‘There, there,’ she said kindly. ‘Be careful for the future that is all I ask,’ and she turned the conversation on to other matters.

Since in the last month he had done little more than exchange notes with his sweetheart, Yūgiri supposed that even this was considered improper and was very depressed. Supper was served, but he would not eat, and presently it seemed that he had fallen asleep. But in truth he was very wide awake indeed, listening with all his ears till the last sounds of people retiring and settling down for the night had everywhere ceased. Then he stole softly to the door of Lady Kumoi’s room, which was usually fastened on a latch, but not bolted or barred. To-night it would not yield an inch. No sound was audible within. With beating heart he leant close up against the door. Despite his care, he had made a certain amount of noise, and this woke her. But now, as she lay listening, she could hear no other sound save that of the wind rustling among the bamboos, and very faint and far away, the mournful cry of wild-geese overhead. Perhaps because, young though she was, the events of the last few weeks had left her far more unhappy than her elders knew, there now came into her head the lines: ‘The wild-geese that with sorrowful cry…,’ and thinking that no one could hear her, she repeated the poem to herself aloud, causing Yūgiri’s heart to beat yet more wildly than before. By what stratagem could he prevail upon her to open the door? ‘I am Kojijū,’ he said in a feigned childish voice. ‘Do let me in!’ This Kojijū was the child of Kumoi’s old wet-nurse; so desperate was he that any ruse seemed justifiable if he could but bring her to the door. But now all was silent, for

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Rh Kumoi, ashamed that he should have heard her speaking to herself, lay with her face pressed deep into the pillows. His ruse had not deceived her, and it was misery to picture him standing behind the bolted door. Presently some of the servants in an adjoining room began moving about, and for a moment both he, standing without, and she on her bed within remained rigidly motionless. Soon however all was quiet again and he made his way back to his own bedroom. As he passed by Princess Ōmiya’s apartments he heard the noise of some one sighing heavily. Evidently she was still awake; most likely indeed she had heard all that had happened! He crept past the door with the utmost caution and it was with feelings of intense shame and guilt that he at last reached his room. He rose early and wrote a letter to Kumoi which he hoped to convey to her by the hand of that same Kojijū whose voice he had counterfeited in the night. But the child was nowhere to be seen, and Yūgiri left the house in great distress.

What Kumoi on her side could not endure was being scolded by her father and grandmother, and she did all she could to avoid it. But she had not the least idea what they meant when they talked about her ‘future’ or her ‘reputation.’ To be whispered about by nurses and servants flattered her vanity and was in itself far from acting as a deterrent. One thing about which her guardians made terrible scenes, seemed to her most harmless of all; this was the writing of letters and poems. But though she had no idea why they forbade it, she saw that it led to scoldings, and henceforward Yūgiri did not receive a single line from her. Had she been a little older she would have found out some way of circumventing these restrictions; and Yūgiri, who already possessed far more capacity to shift for himself, was bitterly disappointed by her tame surrender.

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chair to the table, soon, duried it under the am- plitude of her-skirts, while she squired her elbows and carved the pullet with, professional dexterity, stopping now and then to nibble a dainty bit from her fork.

“She had known, people,” the dame said, ‘who, lost their, appetite the moment a great honor or a grief came upon them; but, for her part, she was well used to such things, and took them quietly. Now there was the little girl down stairs, who absolutely refused to take a morsel of dinner, just.from the excitement of  having spoken with the queen; while she, who was, in fact, the person, who had introduced her to their majesties, was-ready for a hearty meal, and felt even increased appetite from all the honors that, had been showered upon her.”

Du Barry sat quietly peeling the purple coat from a fig while Dame Tillery was speaking; but her quick mind was|at, work, and the expression of her face revealed a new idea.

The sensual nature of this woman had, for many years, prevailed over her intellect. But one noble feeling had found root in her heart, and aroused the sympathy of her faculties. She was grateful, When we say this, it is to acknowledge that a noble capacity of goodness still lived in this woman, as lilies spring up, pure and snow-white, froma soil prolific, with impurities. Thus it was that she had come to  Versailles on an errand which would have been pronounced noble in a better woman.

But while she seized upon every word calculated to help out her object, quick animal sympathy awoke her slumberous appetite. As she saw with what hearty relish Dame. Tillery devoured the savory chicken, and filled her mouth with the delicious salad, she placed the half- peeled fig on its dish, and held. out her plate for some of. the more substantial yiands, which the good dame seemed content to monopolize:

“Ah, that is  pleasant!” exclaimed the land- lady, heaping some of the white nieat and savory dressing on the plate. “To dine alone is always desolation to me; but as madame has found her appetite, my place is no longer here, I-only sat down to save the credit of the house, which would have, been in, peril had a dinner gone down to the kitchen untasted. Permit me to    open a flask of wine for madame.”

“Yes, certainly,” answered the countess, laying her plump hand on the landlady’s arm, but only as my guest. I cannot  permit a person who has been honored, by a presentation at the chateau to serve me except as a friend.”

Dame Tillery flushed. like a peony, and flut- tered like a peacock under this compliment.

‘‘There,” she ‘said, drawing the cork from a wine-flask with the prong of w fork. “It is not often this wine seesithe daylight; but on a day like this, and with guests 'that may be considered as old friends.”

‘You kaodw me, then?” exclaimed the countéss, would permit of pallor, ‘You know me?”
 * turning pale wherever the rowge on her face

I confess that 1 knew madame from the first minute.”

An impulse of gratified vanity conquered the caution that Du Burry had resolved to maintain. “Then I cannot have changed so much; years have not entirely swept away the beauty whiéh which”

“Oh! interrupted the dame, so full of vanity herself that she had no thought for that of an- other. It was the little dwarf. He has grown old, and has wrinkles; but no one can him, especially those who hated him so.’

The painted woman, whose pride had itself for a moment, sunk back in her chair with a heavy sigh; but continued despondency was not in her nature. She'drank off a glass of the wine Dame Tillery had poured out, and resumed the conversation.

“It is not known that I am here, I trust. Zamara has been in the street but once, and thew he was dressed like a child,” she said, anxiously.

“No, the people have not yet discovered him. If they did, his life would not be worth the half of that fig.”

“Do they, indeed, hate us so?” questioned the countess, really frightened. Poor Zamara! he is the only faithful friend I ever knew. In killing him they would break my heart; but you will keep our secret?”

“Dame Tillery laid a broad hand on her broader busom.

“From every one but her majesty, the queen,” she said, solemnly; “from her I can keep no- thing, being, as one might say, one of her council. When I go to her majesty to-morrow morning——”

“Tomorrow morning! ‘Will you have access to the queen then?”

“Of course,” answeréd the dame, ‘an especial Wheti we’ came’ out of the andience- chamber. to-day, that little roly-poly lady, Madame Campan, followed after us, and bade me return again on the same hour tomorrow. It was the queen’s order,’ she said. No doubt her majesty was disturbed by the way in which the demoiselle downstairs, and that man from the city, put themselves forward—I assure you their audacity was abominable. One could scarcely

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62 MARIE ANTOINETTE'S TALISMAN. get an opportunity to look at their majesties, much less say a word.”

“And you, will see her to-morrow?” mur- mured the countess, taking up the fig again, and burying her still white teeth in its pulp.

Tomorrow, and the next day, if I wish. Is there any one who doubts it?”

“I certainly do not,” answered Du Barry, re- moving the fig from her mouth, and stripping away the last fragment of skin with her fingers. On the contrary, I was about to ask a favor.”

“A favor! Ah! madame knows my weakness.”

‘As you just now hinted, it would not be safe or possible for me to attempt an entrance into the chateau; but it is of great importance that I should send a message to—to her majesty.”

Her majesty! You?”

The countess waved her hand with a dash of her old impatience.

“A message which you can carry, and be sure of a kind reception, with a rouleau of gold from my hand when it is delivered. Is it understood between us, my friend?”

Dame Tillery smiled, shook her head, and repeated, “Ah! madame knows my weakness!”

“Then it is understood,” replied the countess, rising. ‘‘Pray see that Zamara is neither allowed to famish, or to expose his presence here: but first tell him to bring my traveling-desk, he will find it among the baggage. Good-day! good-day! I am sorry you are compelled to leave me so soon; but, of course, the citizens, who have been gathering around the door, will be impatient to hear about this visit to the cha- teau. I can understand that, and you describe it so well.”

These words carried Dame Tillery out of the room, quite unconscious that she had, in fact, been summarily dismissed. The moment she was gone Zamara entered, bearing a little ebony traveling-desk, which he opened and placed upon the table before his mistress.

“Madame,” he said, anxiously, “they are going; before dark they will be in Paris with the order for that man’s release.”

«But they cannot’ present it before morning; no man living can gain access to the Bastile after three o’clock. Besides, Zamara, it goes to my heart to disappoint the poor child.”

“If you do not, it will take your life,” an- swered the dwarf.

Du Barry arose and began to walk the floor. It was hard for her to go back into her old, cruel life, just as some dawnings of compassion had made her understand how sweet goodness was. But with this woman existence was every- thing—she had enjoyed it so much; and with her fine constitution had years and years to come. This man had, doubtless, become accus- tomed to his dungeon; or, if he must die, it would be a relief. If she could only save him without hurting herself, how pleasant it would be to let that poor girl depart with all her warm hopes undisturbed. But, after all, nothing like what the child expected could come to pass. She would not find her father, but an old man, weak, blind, dazed, to whom this world would be a bitter novelty. The strength of manhood never could return to her victim, though a thou- sand daughters stood ready to lavish tenderness upon him. What was a life like this compared to hers! Even if democracy did not accomplish her death, it was sure to drive her back to Eng- land, a country which was like a prison to her. No, no, she had concluded.

“Zamara.”

The dwarf approached her.

‘‘Bring the dress in which I came back from England.”

“Madame shall be obeyed.”

Order the groom to have a horse saddled.”

The dwarf bowed.

“Say to that abominable woman that I am weary, and have a headache which nothing but rest and quiet will cure; on no account must any one approach my room.”

“I will set a guard at the door, mistress.”

“That is well. Now bring the dress; it was left in your keeping.”

The dwarf went out almost smiling. He knew that his argument had prevailed over the scruples of the countess, who walked the room in a restless fashion still, but stern and setiled determination in her face.

Directly Zamara came back, carrying a heavy bundle in his arms.

“Shall I prepare to attend, madame!” he questioned, anxiously.

“No; the people would recognize you on horseback, and I must ride with speed. Follow the directions I have given, and keep guard at the door; be vigilant and cautious.”

“Does madame find it necessary to say that to Zamara?”

“Perhaps not; but there is danger here— great danger; a word, a look, might betray me. You have examined the house, and know all its entrances?”

“All; there is a back door leading to the stables. No matter bow fast it may be locked, you will find it ajar at any hour between this and to-morrow morning.”

“Always on the alert! always anticipating my orders!” said the countess, patting him on

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MARIE ANTOINETTE'S TALISMAN 63 the head. At least, I have one faithful friend { left. "

Zamara lifted his dark eyes to the face she bent over him--they were full of tears.

"There, there ! we must not be children, " she said, giving the little figure a gentle push. " Go and order the horse to be saddled."

The dwarf disappeared, and instantly the door was bolted after him. When he came back, announcing himself with a respectful knock, a groom, undersized, and with the air of one who had at some period of his life been a lady's page, stood upon the threshold.

"Is the passage clear ? Will no one see me go out?"

"Everything is clear."

Zamara glided away as he spoke, and the groom followed. Through a back door, only used by servants, across a yard strewn with worn-out vehicles, empty boxes, broken bottles, and refuse lumber, he led the way into the stables, where a horse stood caparisoned for the road.

The groom lifted himself to the saddle, and bending down, whispered,

"No sleep; watch and listen till I come back."

Zamara smiled till all his white teeth shone again ; then laying a tiny hand on his bosom, he bent low, muttering,

"Did Zamara ever sleep when his mistress was absent?"

These words were lost in the clatter of hoofs, as horse and rider passed out of the stable. There was nothing. about this groom to draw particular attention; he might have belonged to any nobleman at this time in Versailles, and thus have passed unquestioned. A few turned to look at him as his horse trotted leisurely through the town, wondering to whom he be- longed; but no one became really interested, and he passed away into the country unmolested.

Some three or four miles along the road to Paris he saw two persons on horseback just be- fore him—a man and a woman, who seemed to be urging their unwilling steeds to unusual exertion.

The groom touched his beast with the spur, aad in a few minutes brought himself alongside of the travelers.

Marguerite, when she saw a stranger so near, drew the hood of dark silk over her face, and made a fresh effort to urge her horse forward. Monsieur Jaque turned in his saddls, looked keenly at the new comer, and once more gave his attention to the road.

“Rough roads,” observed the groom, address- ing Jaque.

"Very!" answered Jaque, glancing at Marguerite with a sense of relief, as he saw that the hood had been drawn over her beautiful hair, and almost concealed her face.

"Going toward Paris ?" continued the groom.

"Yes," was the laconic reply.

"Then, perhaps, you will not take it amiss if I offer to bear you company in these disturbed times ; there is safety in numbers."

"We travel but slowly," answered Jaque, little pleased with the proposal, for every moment that he spent alone with Marguerite was a grain of gold to him. "You seem better mounted than we are, and will find it hard to keep to our dull pace."

"I think not; these rough roads fret my poor beast all the more because of his spirit; besides, the country between Versailles and Paris is not always free from highwaymen. I trust you have nothing very precious about you?”

Marguerite raised a hand to her bosom and gave the groom a terrified glance from under her hood. The most precious thing on earth lay close to her heart-that order for her father's release.

Jaque gave no answer to this adroit question, but allowed the groom to talk on while he listened in sullen silence.

After a few more efforts to be sociable and enter into conversation, the groom rode on, but now and then took a sweeping circuit back, keeping the two travelers in sight until they entered Paris. After that, he followed them at a distance, saw them dismount, and took note of the residence in which they disappeared. This object attained, the groom turned his horse and rode toward that portion of the city in which the Bastile stood, dark, grim, and terrible to look upon.

CHAPTER XII.

“Mamma! Mamma! I have come! He is saved!”

A woman started up, still and white as o ghost, from the dim shadows’ that had settled around her. She would not believe the joyful news. The very sound of a voice cheerful and ringing as that which startled the stillness of the room, had a thrill of mockery for her. She had been so long used to disappointment that joy fell away from her unrecognized.

“Mamma! dear mamma! do you understand? I have spoken to the queen, the beautiful queen, and the king; so kind, so gentle! Oh, mamma! his goodness is unspeakable! Tomorrow, one more night, and you will see my father!”

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64 MARIE ANTOINETTE'S TALISMAN.

The woman gave a deep gasp, flung out her arms, and fell to the floor insensible- the whitest living thing that joy ever prostrated.

"Oh! it has killed her! What can I do ? What can I do ?" cried the poor girl, appealing piteously to Jaque.

"Give her air ! Give her water ! We broke up the pain of her suspense too suddenly," answered Jaque, lifting the lady in his arms, and laying her on the bed. "She was strong to battle against sorrow, but this good news has almost taken her life."

Marguerite flung open the windows, and brought a cup of water, with which Jaque bathed that white face; but it was very long before a faint breath proclaimed that the locked heart had commenced to beat again.

Mamma! Mamma ! Can you hear me?"

The woman turned her great eyes wistfully upon that eager face.

Let me tell you slowly, mamma. Do not try to take it in all at once, but word by word."

All at once Madame Gosner sat upright, but she seemed like a person coming out of a dream. { She swept the hair back from her temples, threading it through her fingers, whispering,

"There is white in it. He would not know me."

Then she turned slowly toward Marguerite, and questioned her. "You were saying something about him? -or is it that I have dreamed?"

She said this mournfully and in doubt, not yet having come out of her bewilderment ; but as her heavy eyes were uplifted to the girl's face, they kindled under the glow of happiness which met them in every beautiful feature.

Is it true? Did they give us hope?"

"Mamma, I have an order for his release."

"No! Tell it me again. I do not believe it of course, I do not believe it, such words have mocked me so often ; but you look as if it might Le-and this man. Ah ! it is Monsieur Jaque; tell me, monsieur, and I will believe you. Is there really a hope?"

"Dear lady, have a little patience, try and compose yourself: Tomorrow your husband will be here!"

"And you say this? Tomorrow! Oh, mother of God! how I have prayed, worked, suffered, and now my heart refuses to receive this great joy. It is so used to sorrow- oh, my friend! it so used to sorrow."

"But a brighter day is coming," said Monsieur Jaque.

"I cannot believe it. God help me, I cannot believe it."

and, all at once, burst into a storm of tears. Thus she sat rocking to and fro, while the ice in her heart broke up and let the sunshine of a mighty joy shine in. When she lifted her face again it was wet, but radiant. Marguerite threw herself upon her knees before the transfigured woman.

“You are beginning to believe, I see it in your face, I can feel it in the heaving of your bosom, in the trembling of your hands. Mamma, mamma! it is true."

"I know; but tomorrow seems so far off. Could we not go at once? After so many years they might cut off an hour or two."

She appealed to Monsieur Jaque, who shook his head.

"I should feel sure then?" she said, piteously.

"Be sure, as it is; no one would deceive you.”

"He might- I mean the king."

"Not so. Louis is a kind man, lacking somewhat in the courage to act; but there is neither treachery or falsehood in him."

Madame Gosner drew a deep breath, and a look of forced resignation came to her face.

"It seems but a little time," she said, "and I have waited so long; but these few hours seem harder to bear than all the lost years."

"But they will soon pass."

"Yes ; and he will be here. You have seen him, monsieur? Tell me, has imprisonment made him old as sorrow has left me?"

"It was an old man that I saw in the dungeon."

"Yet my husband should have been in the prime of life; and I, when he went away, monsieur, I was not much older than Marguerite, and so like her."

Monsieur Jaque glanced at the lined and anxious face of the middle-aged woman, from which perpetual grief had swept away all the bloom, and hardened the beauty into a sad expression of endurance. Then his eyes turned upon Marguerite, more lovely a thousand times than be had ever seen her before ; for the happiness of success had left bloom upon her cheeks, and lay like sunshine in the violet softness of her eyes. The contrast struck him painfully. Was grief then so much more powerful than time ? How many women in France even then suffered as she had done ? Was this to be a universal result? Would oppression in the end destroy all the sweets of womanhood, by forcing a sex, naturally kind and gentle, into resistance wilder and fiercer, because more unreasoning, than men ever waged on each other?

These thoughts disturbed the man. In admitting the unnatural influence of women into their

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120 To Princess Ōmiya’s great distress Tō no Chūjō no longer paid his customary visits to the Great Hall. Nor did he ever discuss the matter with his wife, who was only able to guess, from his general ill-humour and irritability, that something had gone amiss. He did however one day allude to his disappointment concerning their own daughter, Lady Chūjō: ‘I think,’ he said, ‘that during the cermonies of Investiture it would be better that our daughter should not be at Court. A quiet time at home would not do her any harm; and although she has been passed over on this occasion she really stands very well with the Emperor. Indeed, she is in such constant attendance upon him that it is a great strain on her gentlewomen who are kept running about at every hour of the day and night…’; and he applied for her release. The Emperor Ryōzen was extremely loth to part with her and at first refused. But Tō no Chūjō seemed to attach such extreme importance to the matter that in the end he agreed to let her spend a short holiday at home. ‘I am afraid it will be rather dull for you,’ he said to his daughter when she arrived; ‘but I have arranged for Kumoi to visit us, so you will have someone to play with. They have been very good to her at her grandmother’s; but I find that the house is frequented by a certain rather undesirably precocious child, with whom, as was inevitable, she has struck up a great friendship. She is far too young for that kind of thing….’ And he began at once to arrange for Lady Kumoi’s removal from the Great Hall.

Princess Ōmiya whose one consolation, since the death of her daughter Aoi, had been the arrival of Lady Kumoi, was appalled at this sudden loss. No hint had been given to her that it was not final, and she saw herself deprived at a stroke of the one happiness which promised to alleviate the

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Rh miseries of old age and decay. And added to all this was the fact that her own son had taken sides against her and become quite indifferent to her sufferings. She charged him with this, but he hotly denied it. ‘No, no,’ he said, ‘it is nonsense to say that I have turned against you. I think that you have behaved foolishly in one particular matter, and shall continue to think so. Lady Chūjō is going through rather a difficult time at Court just now and I have thought it best to withdraw her for a little while. It is very dull at my house and it is a great comfort for her to have a young companion. This is only a temporary measure…’ and he added: ‘Do not think that I am ungrateful for all your kindness to the child. I know that I can never thank you enough….’

Such speeches did little to re-assure her. But it was evident that he was determined to part the two children and it was no use arguing about that. ‘How heartless men are!’ she said. ‘Whatever may have been your reasons for acting like this, the chief result has been that I have lost the confidence of both these children. Perhaps that has not occurred to you? Besides, even if Kumoi is no longer here, Prince Genji, though he is far from being an unreasonable man, is certain to feel that my house is no safe place for young people, and now that he has got Yūgiri at the Nijō-in, he will keep him there permanently.’

Soon afterwards Yūgiri called again at the Great Hall. He was far exceeding the number of visits for which his grandmother had stipulated; but he still hoped that by some accident he might get the chance of speaking a word or two to the playmate who had been so cruelly wrested from him. To his disgust the first thing he saw when he approached the Great Hall was Tō no Chūjō’s carriage. He stole away to his old room, which was still kept in readiness for him, and remained in hiding for some while.

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122 Not only Tō no Chūjō but all his sons were there—Kashiwagi, Kōbai, and the rest, but Princess Ōmiya would not receive any of them behind her curtains-of-state. Sayemon no Kami and Gon Chūnagon, who were not her own children but had been born to the late Minister of the Left by another wife, were also in the habit of calling, out of respect to their father’s memory, and on this occasion, thinking to please and interest their step-mother, they had brought their little sons with them. But the only result was that, comparing them in her mind with her favourite Yūgiri, she thought them very ugly, unattractive little boys. Yūgiri and Kumoi, these were the only grandchildren for whom she really cared. And now the little girl who had been her delight, upon whom she had lavished so much tenderness and care,—Kumoi, who for all these years had never left her side, was to be taken from her and put into a stranger’s hands.

‘I have to go to the Palace now,’ said Tō no Chūjō quickly. ‘I will come back towards nightfall and fetch Kumoi away.’

He had thought the matter out very carefully and decided that even if it should afterwards prove necessary for him to consent to this match, it was not one which he would ever be able to regard with any satisfaction. However, when Yūgiri had begun his career it would be possible to see of what stuff he was made and also to judge the strength of his feeling for Kumoi. If the boy still remained anxious to marry her the betrothal could be announced in a proper way and the whole affair be carried through without discredit to anybody. But so long as they were allowed to frequent the same house, however much they were scolded and watched, it was, considering their age, only to be expected that they would get into a scrape. He could not put it like this to his mother, because to do so would have

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Rh hurt her feelings; and wishing to avoid any suggestion that Princess Ōmiya had been to blame, he used both at the Great Hall and at his own house the convenient excuse that Lady Chūjō was at home and needed a companion.

Soon after Tō no Chūjō left, Kumoi received a note from Princess Ōmiya: ‘Your father is going to take you home with him this evening. I hope you understand that this is entirely his doing. Nothing that happens will ever change my feelings towards you…. Come and see me at once….’

The child presented herself immediately. She was dressed in her smartest clothes and, though only eleven and still undeveloped, she had quite the gracious air of a little lady paying a farewell call. She felt very uncomfortable while Princess Ōmiya told her how lonely she would be without any one to play with, and how (though the houses were not far apart) it would seem as though she had gone to live a long, long way off. All this trouble, the child felt dimly, as she listened to the recital of Ōmiya’s woe, came from having made friends with that little boy, and hanging her head, she began to weep bitterly. At this moment Yūgiri’s old nurse happened to come in. ‘Well, I am sorry you are going away from us!’ she said to Kumoi. ‘I always thought of you as my lady, just as much as Prince Yūgiri was my little gentleman. We all know what his Excellency means by taking you away like this; but don’t you let him down you!’ The girl felt all the more wretched and ashamed, but did not know how to reply. ‘Don’t say such things to the child!’ cried Princess Ōmiya. ‘It may all come right in the end, without any need to upset the poor little thing like that!’ ‘The truth is,’ answered the nurse indignantly, ‘that all of you think my young gentleman is not good enough for her. You and his Excellency may take it from me that Yūgiri is going to be the finest gentleman in the land….’ Just as the

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MARIE ANTOINETTE'S TALISMAN. 65 revolutionary clubs, had they not already begun to, uproot all that was holy in social life? In order to gain liberty, were they not giving up religion, and trampling down all the beautiful influences of home-life?.. He looked at Margue- rite where she stood, in all the gentle purity of young maidenhood, wondering if she could ever be drawn into the vortex of those revolutionary clubs in which he was a leading spirit. Why not? Others as young, as lovely, and as good, had followed the ery of liberty and equality into places quite as dangerous and unnatural. Might not the time arrive when in the turmoil. and dis- organization of a government which France was beginning to hate, even he might seize on any help, and urge her, and creatures innocent and enthusiastic like her, into the surrender of  everything that makes a woman's life beautiful, in order to obtain that political liberty which France never knew how to use or keep.

Monsieur Jaque sat moodily in a corner of the room, and thought these things over as Marguerite knelt by her mother, and told her in detail all that had happened during her sojourn at Versailles. He saw that the narrative was more to convince the mother that her husband's re- lease was a reality than all his reasoning could have done. Once or twice he observed a faint smile quiver across that firm mouth, while Mar- guerite caught the infection as flowers meet the sunshine, and laughed while telling Dame Til- lery’s mishap. Jaque felt the influence of this low, rippling laugh, a sound he had never heard in that gloomy place before, and thought to him- self how naturally happiness brought, back all the soft, sweet traits of womanhood in these two persons.

‘No, no!” he said, “from the strongest to the weakest, women should be the creatures of our care and protection. It is unnatural that they should struggle and fight for us—more unna- tural that we should assail them. Thank God that this great happiness will rescue this noble woman from the vortex toward which she was drifting! The moment her husband is free, I will myself take them across the frontier. In their old home they shall find rest while the storm bursts over France.”

“‘Monsieur Jaque!” -

Jaque started up and went to the door, which had been slightly opened. Mirabeau.

“Come out, I would speak with you in your own room,” said the count, abruptly. “It seems to me you are never at home now.”

“But you know where to find me,” said Jaque, good-humoredly.

“Yes, always with these women. I think the girl has bewitched you; my friend.’

Jaque made no answer, but his face flushed crimson as'he unlocked the door of his own room, and stood back for Mirabeau to enter,

Well, what have you that will give me plea- sure!” demanded the count, the moment they were alone.

‘‘Nothing, my count; but I fear much that will anger you.”

‘‘From that woman? Well, speak out. It will only be another rejection of the power that could save her.”

Mirabeau refused a seat, and kept walking rudely up and down the chamber like a wild  beast in its cage. While Jaque hesitated how to tell his story best, he,turned fiercely upon him.

“Well, my, friend, has the, Austrian struck you dumb?”’

No, count; but I can scarcely relate my in- terview with a hope that you will understand it as I did. The words were discouraging enough; there was something in the king’s manner that convinced me of his wish to accept your help.”

‘“‘No doubt. He’ has some little discernment; but the woman is guided entirely by her pre- judices. Tell me. what she said.”

Jaque did tell him word for word; but he said nothing of the look of scornful pride that made each syllable so bitter. Mirabeau paused in his walk and listened.

“And this was all?” he said, when Jaque paused, ‘Why, man, this is better news than I expected—the woman leaves a loop-hole for the future; the stubborn pride would not all come down at once, but it is yielding. We must not speak discouragingly to my father, or all his generous plans may freeze up again. He hns set his proud, old heart.on making me the sovereign of the monarchy-and so it may be, Jaque; so it shall be.”

“But the people—who shall save them?” ques- tioned Jaque, a little sternly; for, with all his fond admiration of the man, he could not blind himself to the sublime egotism of this speech, or the selfishness which inspired the man.

Mirabeau turned suddenly ; the grand ugliness of his face was illuminated by a smile.

“Will you never understand, my friend? When Mirabeau has saved the monarchy, he will, in fact, be king. This haughty queen once at his feet the creature of his power, subdued by his genius, as many a woman, proud and self sufficient as she is, has been, who shall dare oppose any reform he may decide upon for the consolidation of his power, or the benefit of the people? Mirabeau is already made sovereign,

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124 nurse was voicing this opinion Yūgiri entered the room. He at once recognized the figure of Kumoi behind her curtains-of-state; but there seemed only a very remote chance of getting any conversation with her, and he stood upon the threshold looking so disconsolate that his old nurse could not bear it. A long, whispered consultation took place. At last Ōmiya yielded and under cover of a fading light, at a moment when the movements of the other guests created a useful division, Yūgiri was smuggled behind the little princess’s curtains-of-state. They sat looking at one another with nothing to say; they felt very shy and the eyes of both of them began to fill with tears. ‘Listen,’ said Yūgiri at last. ‘Your father thinks that by taking you away from me he can make me stop caring for you. But by all his cruelty he has only made me love you far more than before. Why have I not seen you for so many weeks? Surely we could have found some way….’ He spoke childishly; but there was a passion in his voice that strangely stirred her. ‘Darling, I wanted to see you,’ was all she could say in reply. ‘Then you still love me?’ She answered with a quick, childish nod.

But now the great lamp was brought in, and a moment afterwards there was a shouting and clatter of hoofs in the courtyard outside. ‘There are the outriders, he’ll be here in a minute!’ cried one of the maids in great alarm, and Kumoi shuddered from head to foot. She attempted indeed to rush from the room; but Yūgiri held her fast. The nurse, who was to go with her to the Prime Minister’s Palace, now came to fetch her and to her dismay saw the outline of a boy’s figure behind the curtains-of-state. What folly to allow this kind of thing at the last moment! The old princess must suddenly have taken leave of her wits! ‘Well, you ought to be ashamed of yourself,’ she muttered to Yūgiri as she dived behind the curtains to fetch her

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Rh charge away. ‘I don’t know what your uncle would say if he knew this. I have half a mind in any case to tell Madam Inspector, and you’ll catch it then. You may be Prince Genji’s boy and I don’t know what else, but you are only in the Sixth Rank, and have no right to meddle with such a little lady as this!’ It was true enough. He had been kept back, while every one else was promoted; and awakening suddenly to an intense indignation against the powers which had put this affront upon him, he recited the lines: ‘Pale was the robe they made me wear; but tears of blood long since have stained it to a hue no tongue should dare deride.’ ‘Hard driven as we are and thwarted at every hour, how can our love spring upward and put on a deeper hue?’ So Kumoi answered; but she had scarcely said the lines when some one announced that His Excellency was waiting, and the nurse bustled her out of the room. There were three coaches altogether to carry away Tō no Chūjō, the little girl and her belongings. Yūgiri heard them start one after another. Princess Ōmiya presently sent for him to come to her, but he pretended to be asleep. All night he lay sobbing bitterly, and very early next morning, through a world white with frost, he hurried back to the Nijō-in. His eyes were swollen with weeping and he feared that if he stayed longer at the Great Hall his grandmother would insist upon seeing him. All the way home the most melancholy ideas came one after another into his mind. Thick clouds covered the sky and it was still quite dark: ‘Unbroken is my misery as this dull sky that day on day has bound the waters of the earth in ice and snow.’

It fell to Genji’s lot to supply a dancer for the Gosechi Festival, and though he was merely supposed to choose the girl from among the children of his retainers and leave the rest to her parents, he went much further than this, taking

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66 THE LETTER. by his own will, of the great revolutionary - movement, which has terrified the Austrian into something like civility. A few months more and she shall implore his aid, seek his council; make his father the happiest man on earth, and give this irresolute, good-hearted king the quiet he so much craves.”.

‘But the people—the clubs—the women of Paris? Remember how they worshiped Necker, yet he failed to satisfy them.”

“Necker!” exclaimed Mirabeau, with infinite scorn in his voice. “A man of money, a financier, whom the insane populace expected to bring corn out of the parched earth by magic; failing in this, he had no resources within him- self by which to win the discoutented back again; but it is different with Mirabeau. His voice is persuasive, his will potent, his power over multitudes supreme; with his foot upon the throne, he will reach forth his hand to the people, and sustain their rights. You, my friend and foster-brother, shall be a connect- ing-link between Mirabeau and his old fol- lowers. Thus he will control the court, the assembly, and the populace.”

“That would be a glorious combination, if it could be carried out,” said Jaque.

“If,” repeated the count; can you doubt it? Think what the pen and the eloquence of one man has accomplished already. Ah, Jaque! this idea of reaching the people through news- papers and pamphlets, was an inspiration of liberty. This is a power which we have learned how to wield with force, and which can be used in behalf of the throne as well as for the people.”

“But not against the people, at least with my poor help,” said Jaque.

Mirabeau turned upon him angrily.

‘*Will you never understand that it is by the power of the people alone the monarchy can be sustained?” he said, in his rough, dogmatical way. “There is but one man living who can bring these great elements in harmony; because it requires the union of two extremes in  the same person; a nobleman who carries in his  - own person the traditions of the past, but whose life and sympathies have been with the people. A man God-gifted with eloquence both of speech and with the pen; in short, a being who con- centretes in one existence two distinct and op- posing characters. Does France contain more than one man of whom you could say this, my friend?”

No; France has but one Mirabeau.”’

“Then have no fear, my friend, for on all sides our prospects are brightening. This coali- tion once made, and our good father opens his money-bags, then all this harassing anxiety about finance will be at an end. You did me good service with the old gentleman, my brother, though he did wince now and then, as the con- viction was forced upon him that we were in fact, as well as in sentiment, equals before the the people, in defiance of the blue blood of his ancestors. It was amusing to see how the old man’s prejudices rose against this simple fact. He did not comprehend that the people glory in having persons of the old pure descent advocat- ing their cause; while that old buffoon, the Due de Orleans, has seized upon the idea, and even now is using it against the king. If this old renegade only had brains, he might prove a dangerous man. As it is, he is sure to make some stupid blunder, from which even that clever woman, De Genlis, cannot save him; so the best wisdom is to leave him to work out his own ruin. This prince has ambition, and nothing else. Now tell me all that passed at Versailles.”

Mirabeau had by this time exhausted his ex- citement, and sat down to listen. Monsieur Jaque informed him, in a few brief words, of all that had passed during the hours of his absence. When he had finished, the count arose and took his hat from the table.

«Let us go and pay our respects to Madame Gosner,” he said. ‘It will be pleasant to con- gratulate her.”

Monsieur Jaque arose reluctantly, and the two men went out together.

(TO BE CONTINUED. )

THE LETTER.

BY CLARA B. HEATH.

It came to her heart, when its hopes, all crushed, Had faded away like the morn’s first blush; It came when the bright tears had gathered slow— Those bitter tears which the lonely must know; When the shad had gathered around her path, And clouds hung over the cherished home-hearth; When pleasure had fled, in that trying hour, It was then it came with its magic power.

It bronght to her heart the dear memories old, And wakened that heart that had grown so cold; It came as light to the erring one, Who in doubt and darkness had struggled on ; As a sunny ray in some darkened cell, Where none but the wretched and hopeless dwell. Oh! those precious vwaords had a magic power, They were full of strength in that lonely hour.

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126 a great interest even in the costumes of the little girls who were to wait upon the dancer and hurrying on the seamstresses when he found that they were leaving things to the last moment. The Lady from the Village of Falling Flowers was put in charge of the dresses of those who were to be present at the Early Levee before the ceremony. Genji determined that the dancer supplied by his household should make a brave show, and he equipped her with a body of pages and attendants such as the Empress herself might well have been proud of. Last year, owing to the National Mourning for Fujitsubo, there had been no public festivals or amusements of any kind, so that people looked forward to the coming occasion with an unusual zest, and the families whose turn it was to supply a dancer vied with one another in the pains they took over her training and equipment. One came from the household of the Inspector, one from that of Tō no Chūjō’s step-brother Sayemon no Kami, and one from Yoshikiyo, who was now Governor of Ōmi. This year the Emperor had expressed a desire to retain all the dancers in his service at the Palace, and consequently both these gentlemen had chosen daughters of their own to send to the Festival. The dancer from Genji’s household was the daughter of Koremitsu, who had now become Governor of the province of Tsu. She had the reputation of being a particularly lively and good-looking child. When Genji first suggested it, Koremitsu did not at all take to the idea, feeling that his family had no claim to such an honour. But every one pointed out to him that the Inspector had shown no hesitation, though he was only offering a bastard daughter; and in the end Koremitsu reluctantly consented, believing like the others that it would give his daughter a chance of permanent service at the Palace. He trained the girl at home, taking endless trouble in teaching her dance-steps and also in selecting the

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Rh attendants who were to look after her, and on the night before the ceremony he took her to the Nijō-in himself. Meanwhile Genji was inspecting the little train-bearers and pages. They had been chosen from among the prettiest children in the service of the various ladies in his household, and seldom can so engaging a troupe have been collected. His next business was to teach them the curtsey which they would have to make when they were presented to the Emperor, and each one of them showed such readiness and perfect grace in executing the unaccustomed movements that Genji said, laughing: ‘We should have no difficulty in producing a second dancer from this household, if one were wanted!’ There were still however more of them than were actually required for the ceremony, and since all seemed equally good-looking and equally intelligent, he was obliged to select them according to the rank of their parents.

All this while Yūgiri sat hour after hour in his room, giving no heed to what was going on in this busy house. He was too depressed to work at his books, and lay all day on his couch staring blankly in front of him. But at last he grew tired of doing nothing, and thinking that a little company might distract him, he strolled out to join the throngs who filled the palace.

He was well-born, handsome, and, in a subdued way, very agreeable in his manners. The gentlewomen of the household took no small interest in him, but he remained somewhat of a mystery to them. With Murasaki he had few dealings and was indeed barely acquainted with her. Why it was that he held aloof from her he would have been at a loss to explain. Was it that some dim instinct warned him against a repetition of his father’s disastrous entanglements?

The Gosechi dancer had already arrived and a space had been screened up for her to rest in while she was waiting

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Virtual agronomist

Virtual agronomist (eng. virtual [] agronomist, abbreviation virtual reality and the profession of agronomist) - the use of digital technologies in agriculture, as a substitute for human manual and mental labor. A virtual agronomist is built through programming, based on computer technology and programming the specialist’s skills into a digital format. Refers to Internet of Things technologies. Virtual agronomist - software agent, assistant, online specialist substitute for a person, which can perform tasks (or services) for the user based on information entered by the user, data on technologies of high professional skills in cultural and ornamental and industrial cultivation of agricultural crops, as well as information obtained from various Internet resources (weather, soil composition, agricultural characteristics, region and agricultural technology, automation complex and agronomy needs). This could include field management and monitoring, running data collection automation, machine vision for yield analysis, and automating growth in a vertical farm. Examples of this kind are the programs Trimble, cerdi [] isda-africa ([]), greenbar [], inra [].

Description
In the context of the use of professional abbreviation by a virtual agronomist in the cultivation of grains, vegetables and fruits, herbs and forage crops, three key ones are defined:

-A drone equipped with computer vision that regularly monitors fields

-Agricultural machinery controlled by unmanned vehicles

-Urban farming management platforms

Key areas of application of the virtual agronomist:

- field monitoring

- detection, location, recognition, identification, classification and analysis of weeds, plant diseases, insects and pests

- analysis and forecasting of the harvest, harvest dates

- resource management, soil analysis, calculation of water resources, fertilizers, weather conditions

- automation of control and management on a vertical farm by creating artificial conditions similar to natural ones

- big data analysis, machine learning, artificial intelligence

The professional format of intelligent personal digital farming services - "automated" and "smart" farms - are formed on the basis of mobile devices and application programming interfaces (API), and are distributed through mobile applications. At the same time, intelligent automated virtual agronomists are designed to perform specific tasks specified in the user instructions and embedded technical solutions.

Known implementations of virtual agronomist
Field monitoring The Taranis system receives information from data analysis obtained from surveillance sensors, weather data, high-resolution aerial photographs and is capable of identifying sectors of the field with slow plant growth, identifying plants damaged by insects that are not receiving enough nutrients, and identifying diseased plants. As a result, Taranis will offer solution options, calculate deadlines and options for action.
 * Taranis Israel program. Field monitoring

Platform for Agriculture The platform processes information obtained from remote sensing of land in the fields. The farmer receives real-time data on the damage to cereal crops by diseases or pests. Assesses the condition of plants, calculates the required amount of pesticides, optimal timing for treating problem areas and suggests preventive measures. The system independently collects data on weather conditions in a specific area, humidity, and meteorological situation, provides a graph of changes in soil moisture, creates a forecast for yield and growth dynamics based on data from previous seasons. · Health Change Maps and Notifications platform from Farmers Edge; · Field Manager application from Bayer; · Hummingbird Technologies platform. Recognition application interface. These platforms use data from satellites, ground monitoring, and meteorological information using algorithms to analyze them.
 * Watson Decision Platform for Agriculture USA
 * There are a number of other platforms in the world that can analyze information and provide recommendations for housekeeping:

Monitoring of plant diseases The plant disease diagnostic service allows you to diagnose 60 diseases. Contains a library of images, which has a convenient service for sorting images. As the number of downloaded images increases, disease diagnostic algorithms also improve. Processes photographs, based on which, identifies diseases, damage and disturbances in plant development. The service is able to identify weeds and provide data on the nitrogen supply of the plant. Equipped with functions for sending notifications when a dangerous disease or pest is detected near plants.
 * Plantix app from Peat.
 * Scouting app on the Xarvio digital platform.

Urban Farm Management
 * Digital urban farming platform ACA Mi Campo Israel. Uses AI algorithms to select optimal lighting and humidity conditions to grow agricultural products in small home containers.

Infarm Herbs and greens of 200 crops are grown using AI. Data on the state of the crop is sent to the cloud system, and company employees can remotely regulate the degree of illumination, humidity and readiness of the crop for harvesting. Big Data helps regulate the degree and mode of illumination, temperature, pH, concentration and composition of fertilizer supply. Regulates the microclimate.This approach increases productivity by 3 times.
 * Vertical farms Infarm. Germany.

Microsoft
 * Microsoft has developed artificial intelligence for growing vegetables and is successfully growing cucumbers.

Greenbar
 * IT platform “Virtual Agronomist” - digital management of crop production in hydroponics, aquaponics, bioponics, aeroponics systems using artificial intelligence from the Russian manufacturer GREENBAR. Software for managing and monitoring plant growth using artificial intelligence. It has the functionality of microclimate control, nutrition, sterility control and prevention of plant diseases, supply and adjustment of the chemical composition of the nutrient medium. Assessing the condition of plants using video images, identifying diseases and lack or excess of nutrients, monitoring the concentration of oils and nutrients in plants in closed vertical farms of hydroponics, aquaponics, bioponics, aeroponics and micro-drip method systems. Data node transmitter for controlling crop production processes according to all specified external and internal parameters according to 50 sensor indicators.

Agricultural unmanned transport
 * Manufacturer of agricultural equipment John Deere. in the USA Developed the concept of a tractor with an autopilot. Autonomous driving functionality using SaaS (software as a service) integration for autonomous solutions. The financial model of the subscription service will provide farmers with new opportunities and global savings.

Harvesting Automation of processes in greenhouses using machine vision technologies. Using machine vision, robotic harvesters accurately detect, classify and harvest ripe crops. A robot agronomist finds and harvests ripened vegetables (tomatoes, peppers) in a greenhouse. A three-dimensional stereo camera creates a 3D point cloud of ripened fruits. Based on this data, the program creates a three-dimensional scene for searching. Deep learning technologies are used to classify the exact maturity and health of plants.
 * Agronomist MVTEC

Links

 * Modern technologies in agriculture will increase productivity by 70% in 30 years. Russian farmers have already begun to use new solutions.
 * How a virtual agronomist helps feed the whole world
 * BIG DATA TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE
 * APPLYING MACHINE VISION IN AGRICULTURE
 * Virtual agronomist and autonomous beds: how Russian farms are being taken over world markets
 * Virtual fields. How digital agricultural support programs are developing
 * Digital twins of fields, virtual weather stations and “obedient” harvesters. How IT technologies help Rusagro agronomists
 * How Chechen city farms are conquering the Middle East market

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128 for her rehearsal. Yūgiri sauntered towards the screens and peeped to see what was behind them. There she lay or rather crouched in her corner, looking very miserable. She seemed about the same age as Kumoi but rather taller, and was indeed far more obviously good-looking. It was growing dark and he could not see her features very clearly, but there was certainly something about her which reminded him of the girl he loved. The resemblance was not enough to make him feel in any way drawn towards her; but his curiosity was aroused, and to attract her attention he rustled the train of her skirt. She looked up startled and on the spur of the moment he recited the lines: ‘Though you become a servant of Princess Hill-Eternal who dwells above the skies, forget not that to-night I waited at your door.’ She heard that he had a pleasant voice, and evidently he was young. But she had not the least idea who he was, and was beginning to feel somewhat nervous when her attendants came bustling along with her dancing-clothes, and as there were now several other people in the room, Yūgiri was obliged to slip away as unobtrusively as he could. He did not like to show himself at the Festival in that wretched blue dress and was feeling very disconsolate at the prospect of being left all alone, when he heard that by Imperial permission cloaks of any colour might be worn at to-day’s ceremony, and set off to the Palace. He had no need to hide; for he had a charming young figure upon which, slender though he was, his man’s dress sat very well indeed, and every one from the Emperor downwards noticed him on this occasion with particular pleasure and admiration.

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Rh between the children in any way, though Koremitsu’s and the Inspector’s were generally voted to have the best of it as regards good looks. But pretty as they all were, none of the others was handsome to anything like the same degree as the girl from Genji’s household. She had been brought up in a far humbler way than the others and at any ordinary gathering would have been quite eclipsed by them. But now, when all were dressed for the same part, her real superiority became evident. They were all a little older than the Gosechi dancers usually are, which gave to this year’s ceremony a character of its own. Genji was present at the ceremony of Introduction, and the spectacle at once recalled to his mind that occasion, years ago, when he had so much admired one of the Gosechi maidens,—the daughter of the Provincial Secretary. And now on the evening of the Festival Day he sent a messenger to her house with the poem: ‘Be thankful that upon the maidens of the Sky time leaves no mark; for upon me, to whom long since you waved your dancing-sleeve, age and its evils creep apace.’

She began to count the years. What a long time ago it had all happened! She knew that this letter did but betoken a brief moment of reminiscent tenderness; but it gave her pleasure that he had succumbed to this feeling, and she answered: ‘It needed but your word to bring them back, those winter days; though long since faded is the wreath that crowned them with delight.’ Her answer was written on a blue diapered paper in a boldly varied hand, heavy and light strokes being dashed in with an almost cursive sweep,—a somewhat mixed style but, considering the writer’s position in life, highly creditable, thought Genji as he examined the note.

Meanwhile with his Gosechi dancer Yūgiri made no

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130 further progress, though he thought a good deal about her and would have cultivated her acquaintance, had it been possible to do so without attracting attention. Unfortunately she seemed as a rule to be under extremely close surveillance and he was as yet wholly inexperienced in the art of circumventing such precautions. But he had certainly taken a great fancy to her; and though no one could replace Kumoi, a friendship with this girl might, he felt, do something towards distracting him from his misery.

All four dancers were to be retained at the Palace; but for the moment they had to retire from Court in order to perform the ceremony of Purification. Yoshikiyo’s daughter was taken off to Karasaki, Koremitsu’s to Naniwa, and soon the dancers had all left Court. A post in the Lady of the Bedchamber’s office was vacant, and when the Emperor suggested that Koremitsu’s daughter might care to take it Genji naturally accepted for her with alacrity. This was bad news for Yūgiri. Young and unimportant as he was, he could not possibly try to restrain her from accepting such a post; but it would be too bad if she never even found out who it was that had made friends with her that evening at the Nijō-in; and though Kumoi still occupied the chief place in his thoughts, there were times when this subsidiary failure weighed heavily upon him. The girl had a brother who was a page at Court and had also often waited upon Yūgiri at Genji’s palace. ‘When is your sister going into residence at Court?’ he asked the page one day, after making conversation with him for some time. ‘I do not know; some time this year, I suppose,’ the boy answered. ‘She has an extraordinarily beautiful face,’ said Yūgiri. ‘I envy you for seeing her so constantly. I wish you would arrange for me to meet her again.’ ‘How can I?’ said the boy. ‘I am much younger than she. We have not been brought up together, and I do not myself see

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Rh her except on special occasions. I have no chance of introducing her to gentlemen such as you….’ ‘But a letter, surely you could manage a letter?’ and Yūgiri handed him a note. The boy had been brought up to consider this kind of thing very underhand; but Yūgiri was so insistent that, much against his will, he at last consented. The girl had more taste in such matters than is usual at her age, and the appearance of the note greatly delighted her. It was on a greenish paper, very thin and fine, laid down on a stout backing. The hand was naturally still somewhat unformed; but it did not promise ill for the future. With the letter was a poem: ‘Hidden though I was, surely the Maid of Heaven perceived with what enthralment I witnessed the waving of her feathery sleeves?’

Brother and sister were reading the note together when Koremitsu suddenly entered the room and snatched it out of their hands. The girl sat motionless, while the blood rushed to her cheeks. But her brother, indignant at Koremitsu’s high-handed manner of dealing with the situation, strode angrily out of the room. ‘Who sent this?’ Koremitsu called after him. ‘Prince Genji’s son,’ the boy answered, turning back; ‘the one who is studying for the College. At any rate it was he who gave me the note and asked me to bring it here.’ Koremitsu, who regarded Yūgiri as a mere child, burst into a hearty laugh. ‘Well, you have chosen a pretty little prince for your sweetheart,’ he said; ‘I thought this letter came from some grown-up person. Of course there can be no harm in fun of that sort…’, and showing the letter to his wife he proceeded to tell her what a nice child Yūgiri was. ‘If it ever should happen,’ he said to her in an aside, ‘that one of these young princes took a fancy to our daughter, we should do much better for her that way than by keeping her at the Palace, where she can never play more than a very humble part.

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Rh plac'd never o little beyond it.

5. It has been alo oberved, that the effects of Electrical Attraction are weaken'd if the air be thick and cloudy; and epecially if the South-wind blows: And that Electricks diplay their vertue more faintly by night than by day, and more vigorouly in clear weather, and when the winds are Northerly. All which the Learned Kircherus aerts himelf to have found true by experience; inomuch that thoe bodies that are but faintly drawn when the weather is clear, will not, when 'tis thick and cloudy, be at all moved.

6. We have alo oberved, That divers Concretes, that are notably Electrical, do abound in an effluviable matter (if I may o call it) which is capable of being manifetly evaporated by heat and rubbing. Thus we ee, that mot Reinous Gums, that draw light bodies, do alo, being moderately olicited by heat, (whether this be excited by the fire, or by Attrition or Contui- on)

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132 There’s this comfort about it, that if Prince Yūgiri is anything like his father he will continue to show an interest in her when he grows up. You know I have always told you that once Prince Genji takes a fancy to people, he never forgets them, come what may. Look at what he has done for that girl from Akashi.’ Nevertheless they hurried on the preparations for their daughter’s departure to Court.

After this brief diversion Yūgiri became more than ever pre-occupied with his main misfortune. To Kumoi it was impossible even to send a letter, and all his time was now spent in endless speculations as to where and how he should ever see her again. He no longer visited the Great Hall, for the sight of the rooms where they used to play together evoked memories that he could not endure. But he was almost equally miserable at home, and shut himself up for days on end in his own room. Genji now put him under the care of the Lady from the Village of Falling Flowers. ‘His grandmother is not likely to live very long,’ Genji said to her. ‘You have known him since he was quite small and will be much the best person to look after him.’ She always accepted with docility whatever duties he put upon her, and now did her best to look after the boy, of whom she was indeed very fond. Yūgiri liked her, but he did not think she was at all pretty. It seemed to him that Genji, who had gone on being fond of this uninteresting lady for so many years, would surely be able to understand that if one fell in love with a handsome creature like Kumoi one was not likely to give her up all in a minute. No doubt the Lady from the Village of Falling Flowers had quite other qualities to recommend her. She was docile and equable, and Yūgiri saw that it would be very convenient only to fall in love with people of that sort. However, if they were as plain as the lady who had been commissioned to look after him, love would be a painful business. But perhaps his

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Rh father thought her beautiful or intelligent? The question was hard to answer, but one thing was certain: Genji managed not to spend much time alone with her. ‘No,’ said Yūgiri to himself, ‘I cannot remember his doing more than bring her some little present or chat with her for a few moments from outside her screen ever since I have been in the house.’

About this time old Princess Ōmiya took her vows, and though this necessitated a change of costume, it did not prevent her being as anxious as ever to make a good impression, and she continued to take the greatest possible pains with her appearance. Yūgiri had indeed always known people with whom appearances counted for a great deal; while the lady who had been put in charge of him, having never been particularly handsome, had, now that she was no longer quite young, grown somewhat angular, and her hair was becoming scanty. These things made a disagreeable impression upon him.

As the year drew towards a close, Princess Ōmiya’s whole attention became occupied with the delightful task of making ready the young scholar’s New Year clothes. It was a splendid costume, that he could not deny. But it did not seem to interest him very much. ‘I don’t know why you have ordered all these clothes,’ he said at last; ‘I have no intention of going to Court at all on New Year’s day. Why did you suppose I meant to?’ ‘What a way to talk!’ she said in bitter disappointment. ‘One would think you were already an old gentleman hardly able to drag yourself about!’ ‘One can have the feeling that one’s life is over, without being old,’ he muttered, his eyes filling with tears. She knew quite well what was on his mind, and felt very sorry for him. But she thought it better not to discuss the matter and said gently: ‘A man ought to bear himself with pride even if he knows that he

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134 deserves a higher rank than that which for the moment has been accorded to him. You must not let it depress you so much. Why do you go about looking so wretched nowadays? It really becomes quite insufferable.’ ‘I don’t know what you are talking about,’ answered Yūgiri. ‘Why should I go to Court if I do not choose to? As a matter of fact, it is very unpleasant to be only in the Sixth Rank. People notice it and make remarks. I know it is only for the present; but all the same I had rather stay at home. I am sure that if my grandfather were alive, he would never allow me to be treated like this. One would think my father might do sometingsomething [sic] about it; but he does not seem to care what becomes of me. I saw little enough of him before; but now he has put me to live right away in the new eastern wing, and never comes near me at all. The only person who takes any trouble about me is this ‘Falling Flowers’ whom he keeps there….’ ‘ Poor child,’ said Princess Ōmiya, ‘it is a terrible misfortune to have no mother, in whatever rank of life one may be. But before long you will be old enough to go out into the world and shift for yourself. Then people will soon learn to respect you. Meanwhile you must try to be patient and not take these things so much to heart. Your grandfather would indeed have done more for you if he were here. For though your father holds the same position, he does not seem to have the same influence over people as your poor grandfather did. They still tell me that your uncle Tō no Chūjō is a man of very remarkable talents, and I used to think so myself. But I have noticed a change in him lately, and it becomes greater every day. However, things must indeed be in a bad way if a young boy like you, with all his life before him, can talk so gloomily about the future….’

On New Year’s day Genji, being Grand Minister Extraordinary, did not go to Court, but following the precedent

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12 on) emit treams. And in pieces of Sulphur conveniently haped, I found upon due Attrition a Sulphureous tink. And that piece of Amber which I mot employ, being omewhat large and very well polih'd, will, being rub'd upon a piece of woollen cloth, emit teams, which the notrils themelves may perceive; and they ometimes eem to me not unlike thoe that I took notice of, when I kept in my mouth a drop or two of the diluted Tincture (or Solution of the finer parts) of Amber made with Spirit of Wine, or of Sal Armoniac.

7. It agrees very well with what has been aid of the corporeal Emanations of Amber, that its attractive power will continue ome time after it has been once excited. For the Attrition having caus'd an intetine commotion in the parts of the Concrete, the heat or warmth that is thereby excited ought not to ceae, as oon as ever the rubbing is over, but to continue capable of emitting Effluvia

title: Page:Experimentsnotes00boyl.pdf/566