In Sight of St. Paul's — page 205: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- 206 THE PANTHER’S BIRTHDAY. Every woman beneath this roof must drink—drink a short life and a merry reign to her, our queen.”’ The toast was drank enthusiastically. The Panther accepted the compliment smilingly, _ but she was thinking less of the. honor paid to her than of an idea which had suggested itself’ by certain words in Beatrice’s speech. She had said: ‘‘EKvery woman beneath this roof.’? But there was one woman there who was not drink- ing her health—that girl who was a prisoner in the study, that Aileen but for whom Harry might have been alive that day, that Aileen whom she had always hated. She looked around upon the flushed Bacchante- like faces by which she was surrounded, and her reso- lution was taken. 71] have her brought here!’’? she thought to her- self, viciously. ‘‘I’ll break her heart!’ The guests were clamoring for another toast. ‘Stop!’ rang out the Panther’s voice. When quiet was restored she said: ‘‘Beatrice has said all must drink my health.”’ “Well?” ‘You said every woman in this house, didn’t you, Beatrice ?”’ ‘‘Yes,’’? replied Beatrice, wonderingly, ‘‘and all have done so.”’ : ‘‘No,’? retorted the Panther, her nostrils dilating ~ceomicbooks:co