La Masque! Ah! that name awoke a new chord of recollection - the
casket, she had it with her yet. Instantly, everything was
forgotten but it and its contents; and she placed a chair
directly under the lamp, drew it out, and looked at it. It was a
pretty little bijou itself, with its polished ivory surface, and
shining clasps of silver. But the inside had far more interest
for her than the outside, and she fitted the key and unlocked it
with a trembling hand. It was lined with azure velvet, wrought
with silver thread, in dainty wreathe of water lilies; and in the
bottom, neatly folded, lay a sheet of foolscap. She opened it
with nervous haste; it was a common sheet enough, stamped with
fool's cap and bells, that showed it belonged to Cromwell's time.
It was closely written, in a light, fair hand, and bore the title
"Leoline's History."
Leoline's hand trembled so with eagerness, she could scarcely
hold the paper; but her eye rapidly ran from line to line, and
she stopped not till she reached the end. While she read, her
face alternately flushed and paled, her eyes dilated, her lips
parted; and before she finished it, there came over all a look of
the most unutterable horror.
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