"'On the cross,' cried I, rising, for at that abhorred voice I had
recovered all my strength, 'on the cross I swear that no promise, no
menace, no force, no torture, shall close my mouth! On the cross I swear
to denounce you everywhere as a murderer, as a thief of honor, as a base
coward! On the cross I swear, if I ever leave this place, to call down
vengeance upon you from the whole human race!'

"'Beware!' said the voice, in a threatening accent that I had never yet
heard. 'I have an extraordinary means which I will not employ but in the
last extremity to close your mouth, or at least to prevent anyone from
believing a word you may utter.'

"I mustered all my strength to reply to him with a burst of laughter.

"He saw that it was a merciless war between us--a war to the death.

"'Listen!' said he. 'I give you the rest of tonight and all day
tomorrow. Reflect: promise to be silent, and riches, consideration, even
honor, shall surround you; threaten to speak, and I will condemn you to
infamy.'

"'You?' cried I. 'You?'

"'To interminable, ineffaceable infamy!'

"'You?' repeated I. Oh, I declare to you, Felton, I thought him mad!

"'Yes, yes, I!' replied he.

"'Oh, leave me!' said I. 'Begone, if you do not desire to see me dash my
head against that wall before your eyes!'

"'Very well, it is your own doing. Till tomorrow evening, then!'

"'Till tomorrow evening, then!' replied I, allowing myself to fall, and
biting the carpet with rage."

Felton leaned for support upon a piece of furniture; and Milady saw,
with the joy of a demon, that his strength would fail him perhaps before
the end of her recital.

57 MEANS FOR CLASSICAL TRAGEDY

After a moment of silence employed by Milady in observing the young man
who listened to her, Milady continued her recital.

"It was nearly three days since I had eaten or drunk anything. I
suffered frightful torments. At times there passed before me clouds
which pressed my brow, which veiled my eyes; this was delirium.

"When the evening came I was so weak that every time I fainted I thanked
God, for I thought I was about to die.

"In the midst of one of these swoons I heard the door open. Terror
recalled me to myself.

"He entered the apartment followed by a man in a mask. He was masked
likewise; but I knew his step, I knew his voice, I knew him by that
imposing bearing which hell has bestowed upon his person for the curse
of humanity.

"'Well,' said he to me,