anly. "Are you M. Leander? the one who played Lygdamon a
while ago?"

"Yes, I am," answered Leander, amused at the pretentious airs of his
small interlocutor, "and pray what can I do for you, my little man?"

"Oh! nothing for me, thank you," said the page, with a significant
smile, "only I am charged to deliver a message to you--if you are
disposed to hear it--from the lady of the mask."

"From the lady of the mask!" cried Leander. "Oh I tell me quickly what
it is; I am dying to hear it."

"Well, here it is, then, word for word," said the tiny page jauntily.
"If Lygdamon is as brave as he is gallant, he will go at midnight to
the open square in front of the church, where he will find a carriage
awaiting him; he will enter it without question, as without fear, and go
whither it will take him."

Before the astonished Leander had time to answer, the page had
disappeared in the crowd, leaving him in great perplexity, for if
his heart beat high with joy at the idea of a romantic adventure, his
shoulders still reminded him painfully of the beating he had received in
a certain park at dead of night, and he remembered with a groan how he
had been lured on to his own undoing. Was this another snare spread for
him by some envious wretch who begrudged him his brilliant success that
evening, and was jealous of the marked favour he had found in the eyes
of the fair ladies of Poitiers? Should he encounter some furious husband
at the rendezvous, sword in hand, ready to fall upon him and run him
through the body? These thoughts chilled his ardour, and had nearly
caused him to disregard entirely the page's mysterious message. Yet,
if he did not profit by this tempting opportunity, which looked so
promising, he might make a terrible mistake; and, if he failed to
go, would not the lady of the mask suspect him of cowardice, and be
justified in so doing? This thought was insupportable to the gallant
Leander, and he decided to venture, though low be it spoken--in fear
and trembling. He hastened back to the hotel, scarcely touched the
substantial supper provided for the comedians--his appetite lost in his
intense excitement--and retiring to his own chamber made an elaborate
toilet; curling and perfuming his hair and mustache, and sparing no
pains to make himself acceptable to the lovely lady of the mask. He
armed himself with a dagger and a sword, though he did not know how to
use either; but he thought that the mere sight of them might