Page:Lady Barbarity; a romance (IA ladybarbarityrom00snai).pdf/43

 CHAPTER III.

THE REBEL DISAPPEARS.

I saw at once that the moon was come, but for my enterprise's sake I wished it absent. Here she was, however, framed in cloud, with a star or two about her, and a very tell-tale eye. The roof of the woods freezing across the park was a mass of dusky silver that her beams had thrown, and so bold and sharp her glow was on every twig that slept that individual things stood forth and stared at me, and seemed endowed with the hue of noon in the middle of the night. And I am sure the hour was laid for an adventure, and crying for a deed. The light of the moon was made of pale romance, and bade the princess bare her casement, and the minstrel on the sward to sing. This was the disposition of my thoughts as I looked out of the window, and I was so captive to their poetry that a soft touch upon my shoulder startled me as greatly as a blow. I glanced round quickly and found Emblem at my side.

"He hath drained it to the dregs, my lady," says she, brandishing the coffee-pot.

"Faith! you startled me," says I. "Emblem, your foot is lighter than a cat's."