"Do not mock me, sweet Frances: the world will say, and say rightly, you are much nearer perfection than I am; you have far more of the woman--the open, cheerful, confiding woman. But hear me say a few words more,--and apply them as you will. I once saw a young fresh tree--it was an oak--a bright tree and a beautiful! It flourished on the hill-side, and injured nothing; for its shadow was harmless, and served but as a kindly shelter for the modest violet and the pale primrose. The woodcutter looked upon it as he passed it by, and said it would grow to be the pride of the forest;--the village children held their innocent revelry beneath its gay branches:--but, Frances, dear Frances, the storm gathered, and the thunder leaped from cloud to cloud in the angry heavens, and the lightning--the forked lightning, darted among its leaves, and struck it to the heart. The next morning the sun saw that it was blighted; and the sun said, 'My beautiful tree and my brave, that my beams delighted to shine upon, is blasted; but I will throw forth my warmest rays, and my favourite shall revive, and again be glorious!' And the sun came in all its power, and it shone upon the tree; but the more it shone, the more quickly the tree withered--for it fainted beneath the kindness which had the will, but not the gift, of renovation." Lady Frances turned from her friend with tears, and asked her no more questions. Constantia wept not, but passed towards the servants' hall to give some directions. The evening had quite closed, and the earth slept under the broad grey wings of twilight; as she crossed the corridors, she would have been bewildered by the darkness, had not her feet been acquainted with every winding passage. As she passed one of the deep and sunken entrances for light, that seemed constructed for the purpose of expelling and not admitting the beams of day, so narrow and complicated was its framework, something struck violently on the glass. She started on perceiving a small figure enveloped in a woman's cloak. Late occurrences had made her cautious; but she was quickly assured of safety on hearing her name pronounced by the voice of Robin Hays. In a low but somewhat confident tone he informed her of his desire to see the Protector upon a matter of life and death. "Only ask him if he will see me, dear lady!--I would not come openly, because I know he loves mystery in all things, and likes not that the world should be able to prate of his interviews.--But ask quickly, dear lady--quickly, as ye would seek heaven!" "See you, Robin! The Protector see and counsel with you, Robin?" "Ay, dear lady--the lion and the mouse--the lion and the mouse--only let it be quickly--quickly." "Stay, Robin; you of all men are the most likely to know--can you tell me aught concerning one, I believe, we both loved?" "Ask me not, dear mistress, now; only quickly, quickly to the Protector."