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214 dark, regal being who had but just now bade Pierre be silent in so imperious a tone, and around whose wondrous temples the strange electric glory had been playing. Yet not very long did she now thus innocently proceed, ere, at times, some fainter flashes of her electricalness came from her, but only to be followed by such melting, human, and most feminine traits as brought all his soft, enthusiast tears into the sympathetic but still unshedding eyes of Pierre.

IV

'Thou rememberest, my brother, my telling thee last night, how the—the—thou knowest what I mean—that, there,'—avertedly pointing to the guitar; 'thou rememberest how it came into my possession. But perhaps I did not tell thee, that the peddler said he had got it in barter from the servants of a great house some distance from the place where I was then residing.'

Pierre signed his acquiescence, and Isabel proceeded:

'Now, at long though stated intervals, that man passed the farm-house in his trading route between the small towns and villages. When I discovered the gilding in the guitar, I kept watch for him; for though I truly felt persuaded that Fate had the dispensing of her own secrets in her own good time; yet I also felt persuaded that in some cases Fate drops us one little hint, leaving our own minds to follow it up, so that we of ourselves may come to the grand secret in reserve. So I kept diligent watch for him; and the next time he stopped, without permitting him at all to guess my motives, I contrived to steal out of him what great house it was from which the guitar had come. And, my brother, it was the mansion of Saddle Meadows.'

Pierre started, and the girl went on:

'Yes, my brother, Saddle Meadows; "old General