“‘Thy poor dead father in his shroud!’ echoed the step-mother. ‘Ah, ha! it was a good drug--a friendly drug,’ she muttered on in an undertone, ‘a pleasant potion, for a peevish child!’ and then she laughed at her devilish wit. ‘Thy father sleeps well, child. Did thy keen wit ever take exception at the friendly nursing which waited on him to the grave?’ “Lisette started, and looked fearfully at her; but, recovering herself, she proceeded to state her refusal more definitely. “‘I will took upon thy son as a brother, but do not think I can ever do more. Why will he persist in asking what he has so often been told I cannot give? We are dissimilar, and I cannot love him--but I do not hate him. I repeat, I will continue to regard him as a brother, but in any other light I cannot--ay, I _will_ not--look upon him!’ “Rising with the last words she would have passed from the room, but she was detained. “‘Dost love another?’ queried the crone, looking her full in the face. “The blood rushed to the young girl’s cheeks. “‘Ah! I see! I heard Andrew tell of the young painter, who--’ “Lisette’s face was scarlet. “‘Let me go!’ she cried impatiently. ‘Have not I told thee that I will not marry thy son?’ “‘But you will! you shall!--you cannot escape me! I will summon every fiend in hell to my aid! I will torture thee to submission!--I will melt thee in the crucible of my wrath!’ “The last words were lost on the object of her anger, and the dame stood with her arms akimbo, and a peculiar exultation of expression, such as a fiend, conscious of his diabolical power might be supposed to wear. “Lisette rushed to her room, and threw herself, half-fainting, into the arms of her sister. “‘Strange things at the Burton house, Neighbor Guernsey,’ said Widow Hamersley, as she lighted her pipe, and, having taken an initiatory whiff, drew her chair toward the bright wood fire. “It was now Autumn, and the winds were growing colder day by day, and the external aspect of Nature more dreary. “‘Yes, yes,’ returned she who was addressed. ‘Since Mistress Alton lost her two little children in Marsden Forest, who were no doubt eaten of the wolves, there has not been the like of it. I pity poor Esther, who is left all alone with so ungracious a woman as Dame Burton.’ “‘Ay, ay, Neighbor Guernsey. Many a long year have I known this strange woman, and I have yet to discover if there be any good thing in her. And the dolt Andrew is no better man a stupid beast. It has been noised about, that the step-mother has been trying to force the younger girl to marry him. Heaven knows what might happen if the poor child would not yield!’ “Here the widow puffed forth a volume of smoke as large as a small thunder-cloud, and gazed knowingly among the embers.