her to a crime; that is your dishonorable demand! But I will not
obey you! It is true, I hate her, for she stands in the way of my
ambition. It is true I will destroy her, for she wears the crown
which I wish to possess; but never will I be so base as to pour into
her very heart the poison by which she shall fall. Let her seek the
poison for herself; I will not hold back her hand; I will not warn
her. Let her seek the ways of sin herself: I will not tell her that
she has erred; hut I will, from afar, dog her, and watch each step,
and listen for every word and sigh, and when she has committed a
crime, then I will betray her, and deliver her up to her judges.
That is what I can and will do. I will be the demon to drive her
from paradise in God's name, but not the serpent to entice her in
the devil's name to sin."

She paused, and, panting for breath, sunk back upon the cushion; but
her father's hand was laid upon her shoulder with a convulsive grip,
and pale with rage and with eyes flashing with anger, he stared at
her.

A cry of terror burst from Lady Jane. She, who never had seen her
father but smiling and full of kindness, scarcely recognized that
countenance, distorted with rage. She could scarcely convince
herself that this man, with eyes darting fire, scowling eyebrows and
lips quivering with rage, was really her father.

"You will not?" exclaimed he, with a hollow, threatening voice. "You
dare rebel against the holy commands of the Church? Have you, then,
forgotten what you promised to the Holy Fathers, whose pupil you
are? Have you forgotten that the brothers and sisters of the Holy
League are permitted to have no other will than that of their