However, the evening before the regiment took its
departure the colonel said to me: 'I have kept my word to you, baroness;
but to-morrow I cease to be your guest. I shall take steps then to learn
if the mysterious lady at the Nameless Castle be Ange Barthelmy or some
one else.'"
At these words a deep flush crimsoned Count Vavel's face. "I should like
to know how he proposes to settle that question?" he said, in a voice
that trembled with suppressed rage.
"I will tell you. Just listen to the ridiculous plan which the man
betrayed in his fury. He is quartered in the neighboring village to the
edge of which you and a certain person drive every day. He is going to
rise, with several friends, along the road; and when he meets your
carriage, he is going to stop it, introduce himself, and demand if the
lady by your side be Mme. Ange Barthelmy."
Count Vavel clenched his hands and closed his lips tightly. After a
brief struggle he regained command of himself, and said quietly:
"I shall, of course, reply: 'On my word as a man of honor, this lady is
not Ange Barthelmy.'"
"But if that does not satisfy him? Suppose he should insist on seeing
the lady? Suppose he even attempts to lift the lady's veil?"
"Then he dies!" The count gave utterance to these words in a tone that
sounded more like the growl of a lion that has the neck of his prey
between his teeth.
Pages:
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233