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For an hour it had been very quiet, very peaceful, in the small white

house on Palace Street Darden was not there; for the Co certain inquiries toto deliver

Mistress Deborah had been asked to spend the night with an acquaintance in

the town, so she also was out and gone Mistress Stagg and Audrey kept the

lower roo, a man that loved his art,

walked up and down, and, with ilt snuffbox, reasoned with Plato of death and the soul

The murmur of his voice came down to the to by the , her chin upon her hand

and her dark hair shadowing her face, looked out upon the dooryard and the

Palace Street beyond The street was lit by torches, and people were going

to the ball in coaches and chariots, on foot and in painted chairs They

went gayly, light of heart, fine of person, a free and generous folk

Laughter floated over to the silent watcher, and the torchlight gave her

glimpses of another land than her own

Many had been Mistress Stagg's custo had

she heard besides admiration of her wares and excla beneath her niain at the shadowed face opposite her If the look was

not one of curiosity alone, but had in it an ad the Audrey of yesterday, unnoted,

unwhispered of, was a being somewhat lowlier than the Audrey of to-day, it

may be rehteenth