The Midnight Queen - Page 11/177

The man with the halberd in his hand was walking up and down before an

adjoining house, bearing the ominous red cross and piteous inscription:

"Lord have mercy on us!"

"I don't know, sir," was his answer to Ormiston. "If any one there has

the plague, they must have taken it lately; for I heard this morning

there was to be a wedding there to-night."

"I never heard of any one screaming in that fashion about a wedding,"

said Ormiston, doubtfully. "Do you know who lives there?"

"No, sir. I only came here, myself, yesterday, but two or three times

to-day I have seen a very beautiful young lady looking out of the

window."

Ormiston thanked the man, and went back to report to his friend.

"A beautiful young lady!" said Sir Norman, with energy. "Then I mean to

go directly up and see about it, and you can follow or not, just as you

please."

So saying, Sir Norman entered the open doorway, and found himself in a

long hall, flanked by a couple of doors on each side. These he opened

in rapid succession, finding nothing but silence and solitude; and

Ormiston--who, upon reflection, chose to follow--ran up a wide and

sweeping staircase at the end of the hall. Sir Norman followed him, and

they came to a hall similar to the one below. A door to the right lay

open; and both entered without ceremony, and looked around.

The room was spacious, and richly furnished. Just enough light stole

through the oriel window at the further end, draped with crimson satin

embroidered with gold, to show it. The floor was of veined wood of many

colors, arranged in fanciful mosaics, and strewn with Turkish rugs and

Persian mats of gorgeous colors. The walls were carved, the ceiling

corniced, and all fretted with gold network and gilded mouldings. On a

couch covered with crimson satin, like the window drapery, lay a cithren

and some loose sheets of music. Near it was a small marble table,

covered with books and drawings, with a decanter of wine and an

exquisite little goblet of Bohemian glass. The marble mantel was strewn

with ornaments of porcelain and alabaster, and a beautifully-carved vase

of Parian marble stood in the centre, filled with brilliant flowers.

A great mirror reflected back the room, and beneath it stood a

toilet-table, strewn with jewels, laces, perfume-bottles, and an array

of costly little feminine trifles such as ladies were as fond of two

centuries ago as they are to-day. Evidently it was a lady's chamber; for

in a recess near the window stood a great quaint carved bedstead, with

curtains and snowy lace, looped back with golden arrows and scarlet

ribbons. Some one lay on it, too--at least, Ormiston thought so; and he

went cautiously forward, drew the curtain, and looked down.