n apparently waiting group could be
discerned without, consisting of the pedant, Scapin, Leander, and
Zerbine; a reassuring and most welcome sight to poor Isabelle. For one
instant the duke, in his rage, was tempted to draw his sword, make a
furious charge upon the intruding canaille, and disperse them "vi et
armis"--but a second thought stayed his hand, as he realized that the
killing or wounding of two or three of these miserable actors would not
further his suit; and besides, he could not stain his noble hands with
such vile blood as theirs. So he put force upon himself and restrained
his rage, and, bowing with icy politeness to Isabelle, who, trembling in
every limb, had edged nearer to her friends, he made his way out of the
room; turning, however, at the threshold to say, with peculiar emphasis,
"Au revoir, mademoiselle!"--a very simple phrase certainly, but replete
with significance of a very terrible and threatening nature from the way
in which it was spoken. His face was so expressive of evil passions as
he said it that Isabelle shuddered, and felt a violent spasm of fear
pass over her, even though the presence of her companions guaranteed her
against any further attempts at violence just then. She felt the mortal
anguish of the fated dove, above which the cruel kite is circling
swiftly in the air, drawing nearer with every rapid round.

The Duke of Vallombreuse regained his carriage, which awaited him in
the court followed by the obsequious landlord, with much superfluous and
aggravating ceremony that he would gladly have dispensed with, and
the next minute the rumble of wheels indicated to Isabelle that her
dangerous visitor had taken his departure.

Now, to explain the timely interruption that came so opportunely to
rescue Isabelle from her enemy's clutches. The arrival of the duke
in his superb carriage at the hotel in the Rue Dauphine had caused an
excitement and flutter throughout the whole establishment, which soon
reached the ears of the tyrant, who, like Isabelle, was busy learning
his new part in the seclusion of his own room. In the absence of de
Sigognac, who was detained at the theatre to try on a new costume, the
worthy tyrant, knowing the duke's evil intentions, determined to keep
a close watch over his actions, and having summoned the others, applied
his ear to the key-hole of Isabelle's door, and listened attentively to
all that passed within--holding himself in readiness to interfere at any
m