"Oh, ma'am, she says, ma'am, that Lady Sage is—is——"
"Don't break down, Marriner, you'll wet my hair. Please go on."
Thus adjured, Marriner continued in a fragmentary voice, as one relating something almost too improper to be given tongue to:
"She says that—oh, that Lady Sage is going to have nothing at all to do with you in the Enclosure to-morrow, ma'am—oh dear, dear me!"
Mrs. Verulam sat still in silence for a moment. It must be confessed that during the moment she felt as if she was being whipped.
"Oh, ma'am, don't go—don't go there!" continued Marriner. "We should not place ourselves between the feet of our enemies, ma'am; no, no, we should not!"
"Be careful with the brush, Marriner, please," said Mrs. Verulam in a rather low voice.
"But that's not all, ma'am—there is worse, ma'am—there is treachery, indeed, and there is treason, ma'am."
"Really, one would think that Guy Fawkes was staying in the house," rejoined Mrs. Verulam, recovering herself a little.