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the hand of the former； and said in a low but marked and decided
tone； 〃Father； I will fill for my noble mistress； when such is
her pleasure。〃
〃Thou； my child？〃 said Foster； eagerly and apprehensively； 〃no；
my childit is not THOU shalt render the lady this service。〃
〃And why； I pray you；〃 said Janet； 〃if it be fitting that the
noble lady should partake of the cup at all？〃
〃Whywhy？〃 said the seneschal； hesitating； and then bursting
into passion as the readiest mode of supplying the lack of all
other reason〃why； because it is my pleasure； minion； that you
should not！ Get you gone to the evening lecture。〃
〃Now； as I hope to hear lecture again；〃 replied Janet； 〃I will
not go thither this night； unless I am better assured of my
mistress's safety。 Give me that flask； father〃and she took it
from his reluctant hand； while he resigned it as if conscience…
struck。 〃And now；〃 she said； 〃father； that which shall benefit
my mistress； cannot do ME prejudice。 Father； I drink to you。〃
Foster； without speaking a word； rushed on his daughter and
wrested the flask from her hand； then； as if embarrassed by what
he had done； and totally unable to resolve what he should do
next； he stood with it in his hand； one foot advanced and the
other drawn back； glaring on his daughter with a countenance in
which rage； fear； and convicted villainy formed a hideous
combination。
〃This is strange； my father；〃 said Janet； keeping her eye fixed
on his； in the manner in which those who have the charge of
lunatics are said to overawe their unhappy patients； 〃will you
neither let me serve my lady； nor drink to her myself？〃
The courage of the Countess sustained her through this dreadful
scene； of which the import was not the less obvious that it was
not even hinted at。 She preserved even the rash carelessness of
her temper； and though her cheek had grown pale at the first
alarm； her eye was calm and almost scornful。 〃Will YOU taste
this rare cordial； Master Foster？ Perhaps you will not yourself
refuse to pledge us； though you permit not Janet to do so。
Drink； sir； I pray you。〃
〃I will not；〃 answered Foster。
〃And for whom； then； is the precious beverage reserved； sir？〃
said the Countess。
〃For the devil； who brewed it！〃 answered Foster； and； turning on
his heel； he left the chamber。
Janet looked at her mistress with a countenance expressive in the
highest degree of shame； dismay； and sorrow。
〃Do not weep for me； Janet；〃 said the Countess kindly。
〃No； madam；〃 replied her attendant； in a voice broken by sobs；
〃it is not for you I weep； it is for myselfit is for that
unhappy man。 Those who are dishonoured before manthose who are
condemned by Godhave cause to mourn； not those who are
innocent！ Farewell； madam！〃 she said hastily assuming the
mantle in which she was wont to go abroad。
〃Do you leave me； Janet？〃 said her mistress〃desert me in such
an evil strait？〃
〃Desert you； madam！〃 exclaimed Janet； and running back to her
mistress； she imprinted a thousand kisses on her hand〃desert
you Imay the Hope of my trust desert me when I do so！ No；
madam； well you said the God you serve will open you a path for
deliverance。 There is a way of escape。 I have prayed night and
day for light； that I might see how to act betwixt my duty to
yonder unhappy man and that which I owe to you。 Sternly and
fearfully that light has now dawned； and I must not shut the door
which God opens。 Ask me no more。 I will return in brief space。〃
So speaking； she wrapped herself in her mantle； and saying to the
old woman whom she passed in the outer room that she was going to
evening prayer； she left the house。
Meanwhile her father had reached once more the laboratory； where
he found the accomplices of his intended guilt。 〃Has the sweet
bird sipped？〃 said Varney； with half a smile； while the
astrologer put the same question with his eyes； but spoke not a
word。
〃She has not； nor she shall not from my hands；〃 replied Foster；
〃would you have me do murder in my daughter's presence？〃
〃Wert thou not told； thou sullen and yet faint…hearted slave；〃
answered Varney； with bitterness； 〃that no MURDER as thou callest
it； with that staring look and stammering tone； is designed in
the matter？ Wert thou not told that a brief illness； such as
woman puts on in very wantonness； that she may wear her night…
gear at noon； and lie on a settle when she should mind her
domestic business； is all here aimed at？ Here is a learned man
will swear it to thee by the key of the Castle of Wisdom。〃
〃I swear it；〃 said Alasco； 〃that the elixir thou hast there in
the flask will not prejudice life！ I swear it by that immortal
and indestructible quintessence of gold； which pervades every
substance in nature； though its secret existence can be traced by
him only to whom Trismegistus renders the key of the Cabala。〃
〃An oath of force；〃 said Varney。 〃Foster； thou wert worse than a
pagan to disbelieve it。 Believe me； moreover； who swear by
nothing but by my own word； that if you be not conformable； there
is no hope； no； not a glimpse of hope； that this thy leasehold
may be transmuted into a copyhold。 Thus； Alasco will leave your
pewter artillery untransmigrated； and I； honest Anthony； will
still have thee for my tenant。〃
〃I know not； gentlemen；〃 said Foster； 〃where your designs tend
to； but in one thing I am bound up；that； fall back fall edge； I
will have one in this place that may pray for me； and that one
shall be my daughter。 I have lived ill； and the world has been
too weighty with me； but she is as innocent as ever she was when
on her mother's lap； and she； at least； shall have her portion in
that happy City； whose walls are of pure gold； and the
foundations garnished with all manner of precious stones。〃
〃Ay； Tony；〃 said Varney； 〃that were a paradise to thy heart's
content。Debate the matter with him； Doctor Alasco； I will be
with you anon。〃
So speaking； Varney arose； and taking the flask from the table；
he left the room。
〃I tell thee； my son；〃 said Alasco to Foster； as soon as Varney
had left them； 〃that whatever this bold and profligate railer may
say of the mighty science； in which； by Heaven's blessing； I have
advanced so far that I would not call the wisest of living
artists my better or my teacherI say； howsoever yonder
reprobate may scoff at things too holy to be apprehended by men
merely of carnal and evil thoughts； yet believe that the city
beheld by St。 John； in that bright vision of the Christian
Apocalypse； that new Jerusalem； of which all Christian men hope
to partake； sets forth typically the discovery of the GRAND
SECRET； whereby the most precious and perfect of nature's works
are elicited out of her basest and most crude productions； just
as the light and gaudy butterfly； the most beautiful child of the
summer's breeze； breaks forth from the dungeon of a sordid
chrysalis。〃
〃Master Holdforth said nought of this exposition；〃 said Foster
doubtfully； 〃and moreover； Doctor Alasco； the Holy Writ says that
the gold and precious stones of the Holy City are in no sort for
those who work abomination； or who frame lies。〃
〃Well； my son；〃 said the Doctor； 〃and what is your inference from
thence？〃
〃That those；〃 said Foster； 〃who distil poisons； and administer
them in secrecy； can have no portion in those unspeakable
riches。〃
〃You are to distinguish； my son；〃 replied the alchemist； 〃betwixt
that which is necessarily evil in its progress and in its end
also； and that which； being evil； is； nevertheless； capable of
working forth good。 If； by the death of one person； the happy
period shall be brought nearer to us； in which all that is good
shall be attained； by wishing its presenceall that is evil
escaped； by desiring its absencein which sickness； and pain；
and sorrow shall be the obedient servants of human wisdom； and
made to fly at the slightest signal of a sagein which that
which is now richest and rarest shall be within the compass of
every one who shall be obedient to the voice of wisdomwhen the
art of healing shall be lost and absorbed in the one universal
medicine when sages shall become monarchs of the earth； and death
itself retreat before their frown；if this blessed consummation
of all things can be hastened by the slight circumstance that a
frail； earthly body； which must needs partake corruption； shall
be consigned to the grave a short space earlier than in the
course of nature； what is such a sacrifice to the advancement of
the holy Millennium？〃
〃Millennium is the reign of the Saints；〃 said Foster； somewhat
doubtfully。
〃Say it is the reign of the Sages； my son；〃 answered Alasco； 〃or
rather the reign of Wisdom itself。〃
〃I touched on the question with Master Holdforth last exercising
night；〃 said Foster； 〃but he says your doctrine is heterodox； and
a damnable and false exposition。〃
〃He is in the bonds of ignorance； my son；〃 answered Alasco； 〃and
as yet burning bricks in Egypt； or； at best； wandering in the dry
desert of Sinai。 Thou didst ill to speak to such a man of such
matters。 I will； however； give thee proof； and that shortly；
which I will defy that peevish divine to confute； though he
should s