“No—­no,” rejoined Lord Roos, snatching the phial from her.  “Live, Bess, live!”

“Am I to live for you, William?” she cried, with inexpressible joy.

He made no answer, but averted his head.

“In mercy give me back the phial,” she exclaimed, again plunged into the depths of despair.

“I must refuse your request,” he replied.

“Have you done, Elizabeth?” demanded Lady Lake, coming forth from the passage.

“A moment more, mother,” cried Lady Roos.  “One word—­one look!” she added to her husband.

But he neither spoke to her, nor regarded her.

“I am ready to accompany you now, mother,” said the poor lady faintly.

“Nerve yourself, weak-hearted girl,” said Lady Lake, in a low tone.  “Revenge is ours.”

“If I could only strike her without injuring him, I should not heed,” thought Lady Roos.  “But where he suffers, I must also suffer, and yet more acutely.”

And scarcely able to support herself, she followed her mother to the door of the ante-chamber, which was unlocked, and thrown open for them by her husband.  He did not bid her farewell!

As Lady Lake passed forth, she paused for a moment, and said—­

“To-morrow, my Lord, we will ascertain whether the tress of hair we have obtained from the fair visitant to your chamber, matches with that of Gillian Greenford or with the raven locks of the Countess of Exeter.”

And satisfied with the effect produced by this menace, she departed with her daughter, before Lord Roos could utter a reply.

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Fountain Court.

On the morning after the eventful passage in his life, previously related, our newly-created knight was standing, in a pensive attitude, beside the beautiful fountain, adorned with two fair statues, representing the Queen of Love and her son, heretofore described as placed in the centre of the great quadrangle of the Palace of Theobalds.  Sir Jocelyn was listening to the plashing of the sparkling jets of water, as they rose into the air, and fell back into the broad marble basin, and appeared to be soothed by the pleasant sound.  His breast had been agitated by various and conflicting emotions.  In an incredibly short space of time events had occurred, some of which seemed likely to influence the whole of his future career; while one of them, though it had advanced him far beyond what he could have anticipated, appeared likely to mar altogether his prospects of happiness.