“He has no reason to be afraid,” replied Sarah, significantly.  “This is no fever, my lady.”

“How!” cried Lady Lake.  “Would you set up your ignorance against the skill and science of Luke Hatton?  Or do you mean to insinuate—­”

“I insinuate nothing, my lady,” interrupted Sarah; “but I beseech you to bear with fortitude the disclosure I am about to make to you.  In a word, my lady, I am as certain as I am of standing here, that poison has been administered both to you and to my Lady Roos.”

At this terrible communication, a mortal sickness came over Lady Lake.  Thick damps gathered upon her brow, and she fixed her haggard eyes upon Sarah.

“Poisoned!” she muttered; “poisoned!  If so, there is but one person who can have done it—­but one—­except yourself, Sarah!”

“If I had committed the crime, should I have come hither to warn you, my lady?” rejoined Sarah.

“Then it must be Luke Hatton.”

“Ay,” replied Sarah, looking round anxiously.  “It is he.  When he did not think I noticed him, I chanced to see him pour a few drops from a phial into the drink he prepares for your ladyship and my Lady Roos; and my suspicions being aroused by his manner as much as by the circumstance, I watched him narrowly, and found that this proceeding was repeated with every draught; with this difference merely, that the dose was increased in strength by one additional drop; the potion administered to your ladyship being some degrees less powerful than that given to my dear lady, and no doubt being intended to be slower in its effects.  That it was poison, I am certain, since I have tested it upon myself, by sipping a small quantity of the liquid; and I had reason to repent my rashness, for I soon perceived I had the same symptoms of illness as those which distress your ladyship.”

“Why did you not caution me sooner, Sarah?” said Lady Lake, horror-stricken by this narration.

“I could not do so, my lady,” she replied.  “It was only yesterday that I arrived at a positive certainty in the matter, and after my imprudence in tasting the drink, I was very ill—­indeed I am scarcely well yet; and, to tell truth, I was afraid of Luke Hatton, as I am sure he would make away with me, without a moment’s hesitation, if he fancied I had discovered his secret.  Oh, I hope he will not come back and find me here.”

“Who can have prompted him to the deed?” muttered Lady Lake.  “But why ask, since I know my enemies, and therefore know his employers!  Not a moment must be lost, Sarah.  Let Sir Thomas Lake be summoned to me immediately.  If he be at Theobalds, at Greenwich, or Windsor, let messengers be sent after him, praying him to use all possible dispatch in coming to me.  I cannot yet decide what I will do, but it shall be something terrible.  Oh, that I could once more confront the guilty pair!  And I will do it—­I will do it!  Revenge will give me strength.”

“I cannot undertake to bring the Countess hither, my lady,” said Sarah.  “But I may now venture to inform you that I am charged with a message from my dear lady to her cruel husband, with which I am persuaded he will comply, and come to her.”