If La Masque saw him hovering aloof and unable to tear
himself away, perhaps it might touch her obdurate heart, and
cause her to shorten the dreary interval, and summon him to her
presence at once. Just then some one opened the door, and his
heart began to beat with anticipation; some one pronounced his
name, and, going over, he saw the animated bag of bones -
otherwise his lady-love's vassal and porter.
"La Masque says," began the attenuated lackey, and Ormiston's
heart nearly jumped out of his mouth, "that she can't have
anybody hanging about her house like its shadow; and she wants
you to go away, and keep away, till the time comes she has
mentioned."
So saying the skeleton shut the door, and Ormiston's heart went
down to zero. There being nothing for it but obedience, however,
he slowly and reluctantly turned away, feeling in his bones, that
if ever he came to the bliss and ecstasy of calling La Masque
Mrs. Ormiston, the gray mare in his stable would be by long odds
the better horse. Unintentionally his steps turned to the
water-side, and he descended the flight of stairs, determined to
get into a boat and watch the illumination from the river.
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