nd, in despite of all the ordinary usages of
civilized society."

"I cannot tell you that, mademoiselle, and besides, it would do you
no sort of good to know. In our profession, you see, we are obliged to
observe as much secrecy and discretion as confessors and physicians.
Indeed, in such affairs as this we often do not know the names of the
parties we are working for ourselves."

"Do you mean to say that you do not know who has employed you to commit
this abominable, cruel crime?"

"It makes no difference whether I know his name or not, since I am not
at liberty to disclose it to you. Think over your numerous admirers,
mademoiselle! the most ardent and least favoured one among them would
probably be at the bottom of all this."

Finding that she could not get any information from him, Isabelle
desisted, and did not speak again. She had not the slightest doubt
that the Duke of Vallombreuse was the author of this new and daring
enterprise. The significant and threatening way in which he had said "au
revoir, mademoiselle," as he quitted her presence after she had repulsed
him a few days before, had haunted her, and she had been in constant
dread ever since of some new outrage. She hoped, against hope, that de
Sigognac, her valiant lover, would yet come to her rescue, and thought
proudly of the gallant deeds he had already done in her behalf that
day--but how was he to find out where to seek her?

"If worst comes to worst," she said to herself, "I still have Chiquita's
knife, and I can and will escape from my persecutor in that way, if all
other means fail."

For two long hours she sat motionless, a prey to sad and terrible
thoughts and fears, while the carriage rolled swiftly on without
slackening its speed, save once, for a moment, when they changed horses.
As the curtains were all lowered, she could not catch even a glimpse of
the country she was passing through, nor tell in what direction she was
being driven. At last she heard the hollow sound of a drawbridge under
the wheels; the carriage stopped, and her masked companion, promptly
opening the door, jumped nimbly out and helped her to alight. She cast
a hurried glance round her, as she stepped down, saw that she was in a
large, square court, and that all the tall, narrow windows in the high
brick walls that surrounded it had their inside shutters carefully
closed. The stone pavement of the spacious courtyard was in some places
partly covered with moss, and a fe