It did not so. Instead, when he had drunken more wine, and had sat for
some time methodically measuring, over and over again, with thumb and
forefinger, the distance from candle to bottle, and from bottle to glass,
the idea began to lose its wildfire aspect. In no great time it appeared
an inspiration as reasonable as happy. When this point had been reached,
he stamped upon the floor to summon his servant from the room below. "Lay
out the white and gold, Juba," he ordered, when the negro appeared, "and
come make me very fine. I am for the Palace,--I and a brown lady that hath
bewitched me! The white sword knot, sirrah; and cock my hat with the
diamond brooch"-It was a night that was thronged with stars, and visited by a whispering
wind. Haward, walking rapidly along the almost deserted Nicholson Street,
lifted his burning forehead to the cool air and the star-strewn fields of
heaven. Coming to the gate by which he had entered the afternoon before,
he raised the latch and passed into the garden. By now his fever was full
upon him, and it was a man scarce to be held responsible for his actions
that presently knocked at the door of the long room where, at the window
opening upon Palace Street, Audrey sat with Mistress Stagg and watched the
people going to the ball.