The Midnight Queen - Page 22/177

"Do you know those two gentlemen?" she asked.

"Certainly," replied Sir Norman, promptly; "one is the Duke of York, the

other the Earl of Rochester."

"And that page, to which of them does he belong?"

"The page!" said Sir Norman, with a stare, as he leaned forward to look;

"pray, madam, what has the page to do with it?"

"Look and see!"

The two peers has ascended the stairs, and were already on the bridge.

The page loitered behind, talking, as it seemed, to the waterman.

"He wears the livery of the Earl of Rochester," said Ormiston, speaking

for the first time, "but I cannot see his face."

"He will follow presently, and be sure you see it then! Possibly you may

not find it entirely new to you."

She drew back into the shadow as she spoke; and the two nobles, as they

advanced, talking earnestly, beheld Sir Norman and Ormiston. Both raised

their hats with a look of recognition, and the salute was courteously

returned by the others.

"Good-night, gentlemen," said Lord Rochester; "a hot evening, is it not?

Have you come here to witness the illumination?"

"Hardly," said Sir Norman; "we have come for a very different purpose,

my lord."

"The fires will have one good effect," said Ormiston laughing; "if they

clear the air and drive away this stifling atmosphere."

"Pray God they drive away the plague!" said the Duke of York, as he and

his companion passed from view.

The page sprang up the stairs after them, humming as he came, one of his

master's love ditties--songs, saith tradition, savoring anything but

the odor of sanctity. With the warning of La Masque fresh in their mind,

both looked at him earnestly. His gay livery was that of Lord Rochester,

and became his graceful figure well, as he marched along with a jaunty

swagger, one hand on his aide, and the other toying with a beautiful

little spaniel, that frisked in open violation of the Lord Mayor's

orders, commanding all dogs, great and small, to be put to death as

propagators of the pestilence. In passing, the lad turned his face

toward them for a moment--a bright, saucy, handsome face it was--and the

next instant he went round an angle and disappeared. Ormiston suppressed

an oath. Sir Norman stifled a cry of amazement--for both recognized

that beautiful colorless face, those perfect features, and great, black,

lustrous eyes. It was the face of the lady they had saved from the

plague-pit!

"Am I sane or mad?" inquired Sir Norman, looking helplessly about him

for information. "Surely that is she we are in search of."

"It certainly is!" said Ormiston. "Where are the wonders of this night

to end?"

"Satan and La Masque only know; for they both seem to have united to

drive me mad. Where is she?"