confessed his love while she was still, as he had believed, the humble attendant of his patroness! Then, dismissing this thought as one which did wrong to her pure and beautiful nature, a new torturing thought presented itself. This knowledge of her birth must needs involve him in new responsibilities of conscience, for in its light the curse upon her doomed house stood forth between herself and him like a grim, mocking shadow of darkness, waving him back from her with outstretched arm, defying his advance in the path of earthly bliss, and reminding him of fresh sufferings of soul to be faced and battled with ere he could see the right. Had he but been ignorant of its nature, he often cried passionately to himself in this new bitterness of spirit, then he could have bravely ignored it, defied its unknown power, and only the more eagerly claimed his right to protect for ever her he loved from its horrid toils! But he, alone of all men, save Rhiwallon the physician, cognisant of the curse in all its deadly evil, and vowed from boyhood to its removal, did such power ever lie in his hand, dared not hastily act against his own light and knowledge. Already had the "sins of the fathers been visited upon the children unto the third and fourth generation," and better than that her tender heart should hereafter break for the evil deeds or woful sufferings of her own children--better, far better that he should never in this world behold her fair face more! Better that he should wound her now by his seeming faithlessness, and, by never renewing that friendship, which six months ago had surely given secret promise of a yet sweeter fulfilment, allow her ever henceforth to think of him as a man but like others, well content to amuse himself for a few passing moments with so fair a flower, and ready enough ere long to leave her to droop alone, while he sought out some new blossom. But Percival, in the steadfastness of his heart, and his innate love of absolute truth in all things, could ill brook the intolerable pain of letting himself be so judged by her, and even yet more weary was this second burden of agonised thought than his first struggle. Moreover, he must bear its weight alone, for he dared not trust in Lady Bryn Afon's repeated asseverations of belief in her daughter's complete immunity from the inherited evil. Was she not as a woman naturally guided by love rather than by reason, and as a mother, ready to believe aught that was for a beloved daughter's good? His bosom friend, Master Jeremy Taylor, who now, entered upon the duties of his chaplaincy with Archbishop Laud, was near at hand, and a constant visitor in Lord Bryn Afon's town-house, was ever as faithful and sympathising a companion as Percival could desire, and withal a man of wondrously deep learning and wisdom for one so young, yet of the particular matter relating to the curse, of which Percival had himself made minute study from his boyhood, he was not qualified