nce,
after having overcome the serious obstacles in their way, they found the
others in a terrible state of alarm about them. In the stillness of the
night they had distinctly heard the loud cries of the duke's ruffians,
and the noise of the fierce combat, and feared that their poor friends
were being murdered. Isabelle, nearly frantic in her terror lest her
lover should be overpowered and slain, tried to rush back to him, never
remembering that she would be more of a hindrance than a help; but at
the first step she had again almost fainted away, and would have fallen
upon the rough pavement but for Blazius and Zerbine, who, each taking
an arm, supported her between them the rest of the way to the hotel When
they reached it at last, she refused to go to her own room, but waited
with the others at the outer door for news of their comrades, fearing
the worst, yet prayerfully striving to hope for the best. At sight of de
Sigognac--who, alarmed at her extreme pallor, hastened anxiously to
her side--she impetuously raised her arms to heaven, as a low cry of
thanksgiving escaped her lips, and letting them fall around his neck,
for one moment hid her streaming eyes against his shoulder; but quickly
regaining her self-control, she withdrew herself gently from the
detaining arm that had fondly encircled her slender, yielding form, and
stepping back from him a little, resumed with a strong effort her usual
reserve and quiet dignity.

"And you are not wounded or hurt?" she asked, in her sweetest tones,
her face glowing with happiness as she caught his reassuring gesture;
he could not speak yet for emotion. The clasp of her arms round his neck
had been like a glimpse of heaven to him a moment of divine ecstasy.
"Ah! if he could only snatch her to his breast and hold her there
forever," he was thinking, "close to the heart that beat for her alone,"
as she continued: "If the slightest harm had befallen you, because of
me, I should have died of grief. But, oh! how imprudent you were, to
defy that handsome, wicked duke, who has the assurance and the pride of
Lucifer himself, for the sake of a poor, insignificant girl like me. You
were not reasonable, de Sigognac! Now that you are a comedian, like
the rest of us, you must learn to put up with certain impertinences and
annoyances, without attempting to resent them."

"I never will," said de Sigognac, finding his voice at last, "I swear
it, I never will permit an affront to be offered to