The Midnight Queen | Page 8

long heard that those fair fingers can withdraw the
curtain of the future, and I have come to see what Dame Destiny is
going to do for me."
"Sir Norman Kingsley is welcome," said the sweet voice, "and shall see
what he desires. There is but one condition, that he will keep perfectly
silent; for if he speaks, the scene he beholds will vanish. Come
forward!"
Sir Norman compressed his lips as closely am if they were forever
hermetically sealed, and came forward accordingly. Leaning over the
edge of the ebony caldron, he found that it contained nothing more
dreadful than water, for he labored under a vague and unpleasant idea

that, like the witches' caldron in Macbeth, it might be filled with
serpents' blood and children's' brains. La Masque opened her golden
casket, and took from it a portion of red powder, with which it was
filled. Casting it into the caldron, she murmured an invocation in
Sanscrit, or Coptic, or some other unknown tongue, and slowly there
arose a dense cloud of dark-red smoke, that nearly filled the room. Had
Sir Norman ever read the story of Aladdin, he would probably have
thought of it then; but the young courtier did not greatly affect literature
of any kind, and thought of nothing now but of seeing something when
the smoke cleared away. It was rather long in doing so, and when it did,
he saw nothing at first but his own handsome, half- serious,
half-incredulous face; but gradually a picture, distinct and clear, formed
itself at the bottom, and Sir Norman gazed with bewildered eyes. He
saw a large room filled with a sparkling crowd, many of them ladies,
splendidly arrayed and flashing in jewels, and foremost among them
stood one whose beauty surpassed anything he had ever before
dreamed of. She wore the robes of a queen, purple and ermine -
diamonds blazed on the beautiful neck, arms, and fingers, and a tiara of
the same brilliants crowned her regal head. In one hand she held a
sceptre; what seemed to be a throne was behind her, but something that
surprised Sir Norton most of all was, to find himself standing beside
her, the cynosure of all eyes. While he yet gazed in mingled
astonishment and incredulity, the scene faded away, and another took
its place. This time a dungeon-cell, damp and dismal; walls, and floor,
and ceiling covered with green and hideous slime. A small lamp stood
on the floor, and by its sickly, watery gleam, he saw himself again
standing, pale and dejected, near the wall. But he was not alone; the
same glittering vision in purple and diamonds stood before him, and
suddenly he drew his sword and plunged it up to the hilt in her heart!
The beautiful vision fell like a stone at his feet, and the sword was
drawn out reeking with her life-blood. This was a little too much for the
real Sir Norman, and with an expression of indignant consternation, he
sprang upright. Instantly it all faded away and the reflection of his own
excited face looked up at him from the caldron.
"I told you not to speak," said La Masque, quietly, "but you must look
on still another scene."

Again she threw a portion of the contents of the casket into the caldron,
and "spake aloud the words of power." Another cloud of smoke arose
and filled the room, and when it cleared away, Sir Norman beheld a
third and less startling sight. The scene and place he could not discover,
but it seemed to him like night and a storm. Two men were lying on the
ground, and bound fast together, it appeared to him. As he looked, it
faded away, and once more his own face seemed to mock him in the
clear water.
"Do you know those two last figures!" asked the lady.
"I do," said Sir Norman, promptly; "it was Ormiston and myself."
"Right! and one of them was dead."
"Dead!" exclaimed Sir Norman, with a perceptible start. "Which one,
madam?"
"If you cannot tell that, neither can I. If there is anything further you
wish to see, I am quite willing to show it to you."
"I'm obliged to you," said Sir Norman, stepping back; "but no more at
present, thank you. Do you mean to say, madam, that I'm some day to
murder a lady, especially one so beautiful as she I just now saw?"
"I have said nothing - all you've seen will come to pass, and whether
your destiny be for good or evil, I have nothing to do with it, except,"
said the sweet voice, earnestly, "that if La Masque could strew Sir
Norman Kingsley's pathway with roses, she would most assuredly do
so."
"Madam, you are too kind," said