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"Inhislaboratory，"answeredFoster。"Itisthehourheisspokennotwithal。Wemustwaittillnoonispast，orspoilhisimportant——whatsaidI？important！——Iwouldsayinterrupthisdivinestudies。"
"Ay，hestudiesthedevil\'sdivinity，"saidVarney;"butwhenI
wanthim，onehourmustsufficeaswellasanother。Leadthewaytohispandemonium。"
SospokeVarney，andwithhastyandperturbedstepsfollowedFoster，whoconductedhimthroughprivatepassages，manyofwhichwerewell—nighruinous，totheoppositesideofthequadrangle，where，inasubterraneanapartment，nowoccupiedbythechemistAlasco，oneoftheAbbotsofAbingdon，whohadaturnfortheoccultsciences，had，muchtothescandalofhisconvent，establishedalaboratory，inwhich，likeotherfoolsoftheperiod，hespentmuchprecioustime，andmoneybesides，inthepursuitofthegrandarcanum。
AnthonyFosterpausedbeforethedoor，whichwasscrupulouslysecuredwithin，andagainshowedamarkedhesitationtodisturbthesageinhisoperations。ButVarney，lessscrupulous，rousedhimbyknockingandvoice，untilatlength，slowlyandreluctantly，theinmateoftheapartmentundidthedoor。Thechemistappeared，withhiseyesblearedwiththeheatandvapoursofthestoveoralembicoverwhichhebroodedandtheinteriorofhiscelldisplayedtheconfusedassemblageofheterogeneoussubstancesandextraordinaryimplementsbelongingtohisprofession。Theoldmanwasmuttering，withspitefulimpatience，"AmIforevertoberecalledtotheaffairsofearthfromthoseofheaven？"
"Totheaffairsofhell，"answeredVarney，"forthatisthyproperelement。——Foster，weneedtheeatourconference。"
"Fosterslowlyenteredtheroom。Varney，following，barredthedoor，andtheybetookthemselvestosecretcouncil。
Inthemeanwhile，theCountesstraversedtheapartment，withshameandangercontendingonherlovelycheek。
"Thevillain，"shesaid——"thecold—blooded，calculatingslave！——
ButIunmaskedhim，Janet——Imadethesnakeuncoilallhisfoldsbeforeme，andcrawlabroadinhisnakeddeformity;Isuspendedmyresentment，atthedangerofsuffocatingundertheeffort，untilhehadletmeseetheverybottomofaheartmorefoulthanhell\'sdarkestcorner。——Andthou，Leicester，isitpossiblethoucouldstbidmeforamomentdenymyweddedrightinthee，orthyselfyieldittoanother？——Butitisimpossible——thevillainhasliedinall。——Janet，Iwillnotremainherelonger——Ifearhim——Ifearthyfather。Igrievetosayit，Janet——butIfearthyfather，and，worstofall，thisodiousVarney，IwillescapefromCumnor。"
"Alas！madam，whitherwouldyoufly，orbywhatmeanswillyouescapefromthesewalls？"
"Iknownot，Janet，"saidtheunfortunateyounglady，lookingupwards！andclaspingherhandstogether，"IknownotwhereI
shallfly，orbywhatmeans;butIamcertaintheGodIhaveservedwillnotabandonmeinthisdreadfulcrisis，forIaminthehandsofwickedmen。"
"Donotthinkso，dearlady，"saidJanet;"myfatherissternandstrictinhistemper，andseverelytruetohistrust——butyet——"
AtthismomentAnthonyFosterenteredtheapartment，bearinginhishandaglasscupandasmallflask。Hismannerwassingular;
for，whileapproachingtheCountesswiththerespectduetoherrank，hehadtillthistimesufferedtobecomevisible，orhadbeenunabletosuppress，theobduratesulkinessofhisnaturaldisposition，which，asisusualwiththoseofhisunhappytemper，waschieflyexertedtowardsthoseoverwhomcircumstancesgavehimcontrol。Butatpresentheshowednothingofthatsullenconsciousnessofauthoritywhichhewaswonttoconcealunderaclumsyaffectationofcivilityanddeference，asaruffianhideshispistolsandbludgeonunderhisill—fashionedgaberdine。Andyetitseemedasifhissmilewasmoreinfearthancourtesy，andasif，whilehepressedtheCountesstotasteofthechoicecordial，whichshouldrefreshherspiritsafterherlatealarm，hewasconsciousofmeditatingsomefurtherinjury。Hishandtrembledalso，hisvoicefaltered，andhiswholeoutwardbehaviourexhibitedsomuchthatwassuspicious，thathisdaughterJanet，aftershehadstoodlookingathiminastonishmentforsomeseconds，seemedatoncetocollectherselftoexecutesomehardyresolution，raisedherhead，assumedanattitudeandgaitofdeterminationandauthority，andwalkingslowlybetwixtherfatherandhermistress，tookthesalverfromthehandoftheformer，andsaidinalowbutmarkedanddecidedtone，"Father，Iwillfillformynoblemistress，whensuchisherpleasure。"
"Thou，mychild？"saidFoster，eagerlyandapprehensively;"no，mychild——itisnotTHOUshaltrendertheladythisservice。"
"Andwhy，Iprayyou，"saidJanet，"ifitbefittingthatthenobleladyshouldpartakeofthecupatall？"
"Why——why？"saidtheseneschal，hesitating，andthenburstingintopassionasthereadiestmodeofsupplyingthelackofallotherreason——"why，becauseitismypleasure，minion，thatyoushouldnot！Getyougonetotheeveninglecture。"
"Now，asIhopetohearlectureagain，"repliedJanet，"Iwillnotgothitherthisnight，unlessIambetterassuredofmymistress\'ssafety。Givemethatflask，father"——andshetookitfromhisreluctanthand，whileheresigneditasifconscience—
struck。"Andnow，"shesaid，"father，thatwhichshallbenefitmymistress，cannotdoMEprejudice。Father，Idrinktoyou。"
Foster，withoutspeakingaword，rushedonhisdaughterandwrestedtheflaskfromherhand;then，asifembarrassedbywhathehaddone，andtotallyunabletoresolvewhatheshoulddonext，hestoodwithitinhishand，onefootadvancedandtheotherdrawnback，glaringonhisdaughterwithacountenanceinwhichrage，fear，andconvictedvillainyformedahideouscombination。
"Thisisstrange，myfather，"saidJanet，keepinghereyefixedonhis，inthemannerinwhichthosewhohavethechargeoflunaticsaresaidtooverawetheirunhappypatients;"willyouneitherletmeservemylady，nordrinktohermyself？"
ThecourageoftheCountesssustainedherthroughthisdreadfulscene，ofwhichtheimportwasnotthelessobviousthatitwasnotevenhintedat。Shepreservedeventherashcarelessnessofhertemper，andthoughhercheekhadgrownpaleatthefirstalarm，hereyewascalmandalmostscornful。"WillYOUtastethisrarecordial，MasterFoster？Perhapsyouwillnotyourselfrefusetopledgeus，thoughyoupermitnotJanettodoso。
Drink，sir，Iprayyou。"
"Iwillnot，"answeredFoster。
"Andforwhom，then，isthepreciousbeveragereserved，sir？"
saidtheCountess。
"Forthedevil，whobrewedit！"answeredFoster;and，turningonhisheel，heleftthechamber。
Janetlookedathermistresswithacountenanceexpressiveinthehighestdegreeofshame，dismay，andsorrow。
"Donotweepforme，Janet，"saidtheCountesskindly。
"No，madam，"repliedherattendant，inavoicebrokenbysobs，"itisnotforyouIweep;itisformyself——itisforthatunhappyman。Thosewhoaredishonouredbeforeman——thosewhoarecondemnedbyGod——havecausetomourn;notthosewhoareinnocent！Farewell，madam！"shesaidhastilyassumingthemantleinwhichshewaswonttogoabroad。
"Doyouleaveme，Janet？"saidhermistress——"desertmeinsuchanevilstrait？"
"Desertyou，madam！"exclaimedJanet;andrunningbacktohermistress，sheimprintedathousandkissesonherhand——"desertyouI——maytheHopeofmytrustdesertmewhenIdoso！No，madam;wellyousaidtheGodyouservewillopenyouapathfordeliverance。Thereisawayofescape。Ihaveprayednightanddayforlight，thatImightseehowtoactbetwixtmydutytoyonderunhappymanandthatwhichIowetoyou。Sternlyandfearfullythatlighthasnowdawned，andImustnotshutthedoorwhichGodopens。Askmenomore。Iwillreturninbriefspace。"
Sospeaking，shewrappedherselfinhermantle，andsayingtotheoldwomanwhomshepassedintheouterroomthatshewasgoingtoeveningprayer，sheleftthehouse。
Meanwhileherfatherhadreachedoncemorethelaboratory，wherehefoundtheaccomplicesofhisintendedguilt。"Hasthesweetbirdsipped？"saidVarney，withhalfasmile;whiletheastrologerputthesamequestionwithhiseyes，butspokenotaword。
"Shehasnot，norsheshallnotfrommyhands，"repliedFoster;
"wouldyouhavemedomurderinmydaughter\'spresence？"
"Wertthounottold，thousullenandyetfaint—heartedslave，"
answeredVarney，withbitterness，"thatnoMURDERasthoucallestit，withthatstaringlookandstammeringtone，isdesignedinthematter？Wertthounottoldthatabriefillness，suchaswomanputsoninverywantonness，thatshemaywearhernight—
gearatnoon，andlieonasettlewhensheshouldmindherdomesticbusiness，isallhereaimedat？HereisalearnedmanwillswearittotheebythekeyoftheCastleofWisdom。"
"Iswearit，"saidAlasco，"thattheelixirthouhastthereintheflaskwillnotprejudicelife！Iswearitbythatimmortalandindestructiblequintessenceofgold，whichpervadeseverysubstanceinnature，thoughitssecretexistencecanbetracedbyh
