e closed window. He moved
to and fro, now rising up and then descending, as if he sought some
means to open the window and enter the room. His eyes, rendered more
glittering by hatred, cast glances of vengeance on Aminta and Maulear.
His long wiry fingers passed rapidly across the glass, which was the
only object that separated them.

Aminta yielding to terror, caused by the sight of the monster, without
any calculation or regard of any thing except the violence of Scorpione,
rushed into Maulear's arms in search of protection and aid.

"Right, right," said Maulear, "no danger shall befall you while enfolded
in these arms." Taking her then towards the door of the corridor, he
said: "Come, come, no danger can befall you here."

Scorpione, however, perceiving what Maulear was about to do, and seeing
him going towards the door, uttered a second cry more terrible than the
first. He broke the glass, and sought to reach the clasp which made the
window fast. In the mean time, Maulear had reached the other door, and
was about to escape. He, however, heard steps hurrying from every
direction down the corridor. The cries of Scorpione had awakened all the
house, and just as the wretch tore open the window and precipitated
himself into the chamber, relations, friends and guests of the house,
who had collected on the terrace and corridor, rushed in with him.
Signora Rovero was the last to come.

"My daughter!" cried she, running towards Aminta.

The poor tearful mother, not accusing that child whom her heart told her
was innocent, without anger on her lip or reproach in her eye, sought
only to shroud Aminta's form in the garments which scarcely sufficed to
cover it, and in a calm and confiding voice listened to the explanations
of Maulear. The collection of all of these people, aroused from their
sleep and grouped in the half-lighted room, was a strange
picture;--Signora Rovero holding her daughter in her arms, Maulear with
his hand lifted to heaven and protesting that Aminta was innocent,
Scorpione with his hands blood-stained by the broken glass, his hair
disheveled, his looks haggard, and his violence restrained by the
servants, who kept the beast from rushing on the Marquis.

"Signora," said Maulear, speaking to Aminta's mother, "on my life and
honor, I declare to you that this young woman came hither without her
own consent, and led by a blind chance."

Maulear was about to continue, when Aminta recovering her energy, sai