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254 "Transformed, Lucy, transformed! Remember, you once called me a slave! but I am a free man now!"

He stood up: in the port of his head, the carriage of his figure, in his beaming eye and mien, there revealed itself a liberty which was more than ease—a mood which was disdain of his past bondage.

"Miss Fanshawe", he pursued, "has led me through a phase of feeling which is over: I have entered another condition, and am now much disposed to exact love for love—passion for passion—and good measure of it, too".

"Ah, Doctor! Doctor! you said it was your nature to pursue Love under difficulties—to be charmed by a proud insensibility!"

He laughed, and answered, "My nature varies: the mood of one hour is sometimes the mockery of the next. Well, Lucy" (drawing on his gloves), "will the Nun come again to-night, think you?"

"I don't think she will".

"Give her my compliments, if she does—Dr. John's compliments—and entreat her to have the goodness to wait a visit from him. Lucy, was she a pretty nun? Had she a pretty face? You have not told me that yet; and that is the really important point".

"She had a white cloth over her face", said I, "but her eyes glittered".

"Confusion to her goblin trappings!" cried he, irreverently, "but at least she had handsome eyes—bright and soft".

"Cold and fixed", was the reply.

"No, no, we'll none of her; she shall not haunt you, Lucy. Give her that shake of the hand, if she comes again. Will she stand that, do you think?"

I thought it too kind and cordial for a ghost to stand; and so was the smile which matched it, and accompanied his "Good-night".

And had there been anything in the garret? What did they discover? I believe, on the closest examination, their discoveries amounted to very little. They talked, at first, of the cloaks being disturbed; but Madame Beck told me afterwards