"And did you and your brothers at any time reach the end of the passage?" asked Primrose, "More than once," answered Sir Ivor, "having agreed beforehand with Lord Bryn Afon, then a boy much of our own age, to admit us. He was but rarely at the castle, his father, the late earl, loving it not much better than his predecessors; but on those rare occasions it was our greatest joy to penetrate into the doomed building, to roam the ancient corridors and wake the echoes in the deserted dwelling-rooms, few of which were maintained in such order as to be habitable." "Then," said Primrose eagerly, "since you have been within the castle, and known the Lord Bryn Afon as a boy, did you never perchance discover the secret of the curse?" "It was a matter on which no word was ever breathed," answered Sir Ivor. "The present earl, as a boy, was ignorant of its nature, and his parents caring not to speak of it, their friends durst not, in kindness, ask them any questions thereon. Since my friend has grown to manhood he has ne'er shown any confidence in me in this particular, ever affecting to treat it lightly, as a thing unworthy of comment. Yet that he does not in his secret heart so regard it is shown plainly enough by the strong aversion he has ever manifested towards his old home." "Methinks it weighs sorely upon Lady Bryn Afon also," said Primrose, "for her face is much worn with care and pain, and often while I was in her company I heard her sigh most sorrowfully when she thought I was not by, and more than once I have found her with tears upon her cheeks." "She has reason for her sorrow," said Lady Rosamond, "for you must know that she married against her father's will, and has ever since been wholly cut off from her own people, and this is ever a most wearing grief to her, indeed so painful that even to me, her friend, she will not speak of it. True, I am much younger than she, and of too frivolous a deportment, I trow, to encourage much secret confidence; yet I have more heart--and so my lord will bear me witness--than one would give me credit for, perchance! But the Lady Bryn Afon is one of those self-contained souls who are by nature strong enough to bear their burdens unaided; and whereas I should betray my griefs to the world with noisy lamentations, she finds greater solace in wrapping them up closely in her own breast. Indeed I should scarce have heard from her own lips even such scanty news of her marriage as I have told you, and have learned it but from a conversation held one day between her husband and mine. The men are greater gossips than we, I warrant you! The unfortunate Lord Bryn Afon confessed that although he had never repented him of his hasty marriage, for the love it had brought him, yet he could but fear the lack of an heir to his house to be a punishment sent by God for his youthful imprudence in marrying secretly, and in spite of the curse he oft bewails his childlessness. Now, Primrose, our gallant