Story of the Egyptian 301

rats. That is my gypsy blood again. After
that wild week I went back to the school of my
own will, and no one knows of the escapade but
my schoolmistress and Lord Rintoul. The second
time, however, I was detecting singing in the
street, and then my future husband was asked
to take me away. Yet Miss Feversham cried
when I left, and told me that I was the nicest

irl she knew, as well as the nastiest. She said
she should love me as soon as I was not one of
her boarders.”

“‘ And then you came to the Spittal?”

“Yes; and Lord Rintoul wanted me to say I
was sorry for what I had done, but I told him
I need not say that, for I was sure to do it again.
As you know, I have done it several times since
then ; and though I am a different woman since I
knew you, I dare say I shall go on doing it at
times all my life. You shake your head because
you do not understand. It is not that I make
up my mind to break out in that way; I may
not have had the least desire to do it for weeks,
and then suddenly, when I am out riding, or at
dinner, or at a dance, the craving to be a gypsy
again is so strong that I never think of resisting
it; I would risk my life to gratify it. Yes, what-
ever my life in the future is to be, I know that
must be a part of it. I used to pretend at the
Spittal that I had gone to bed, and then escape by
the window. I was mad with glee at those times,
but I always returned before morning, except
once, the last time I saw you, when I was away
for nearly twenty-four hours. Lord Rintoul was
so glad to see me come back then that he almost