uld an
unfortunate like me, who has meant only well, be entangled in such a
mesh of accidents? Why were my eyes designed but to see, my breast to
love, my Cyrene, at such frightful cost?"

Next morning, the sunlight gilding the pinnacles of the Louvre, the
cries of Paris, the fascinating dash of the metropolis, brought back to
him his gift of animal spirits. Were he, he thought, but to successfully
outride his present troubles, he would accept a post which had been
offered him, as commandant of a cadet school on the far away estates of
the Duke de la Rochefoucault, and thither retire quietly with Cyrene,
away from the jealousy and criticism of the Court, and make open
confession to her.

By appointment made at Troyes he went to meet Grancey in the Palais
Royal garden.

Germain took his friend's arm and led him along the antiquated quarter
of the Marais, where he had secured a room in a quiet neighbourhood for
the old Chevalier de Lincy. His heart beat lest anything should have
occurred to arrest the old noble's illusion. His intention was to
introduce Grancey into the apartment of the old man, and there to let
him gather from the lips of the occupant words that would link Germain
with a house so ancient and respected. They arrived at the door, rang,
and demanded of the landlady whether the Chevalier was in. She looked at
them curiously as she held the door open.

"Is one of you Monsieur de Lincy's cousin!" she inquired.

"I, Madame," replied he.

"Come in, sir. Have you not received the letter posted yesterday by the
priest?"

"By the priest?" Germain stopped, with his friend, on the threshold of
the chamber into which she had led them. "Is he ill, then?"

"The saints protect him, sir, he has finished his last illness. He lies
upstairs in his beautiful mortuary chamber draped by the Sisters of the
Hospital."

"Poor old de Lincy," he murmured, yet could hardly realise it.

"Are you not Monsieur de Lincy, too, sir?" she inquired.

"Certainly," he replied quickly, checking himself, "but he was the head
of the house. Alas! let me see him."

She led them up two flights and into the death chamber, which was
heavily hung with black and the windows darkened. Two tapers at the head
and two at the feet showed where the corpse lay, and near by stood an
altar with lights and flowers, beside which two Black Nuns knelt
motionlessly. The visitors crossed the room with bowed heads and looked
down at the face of the dead