;
and in the very act, stumbled and drooped. She had scarce time to fear
his murderous onslaught ere he fell before her feet.

He rose upon one elbow; she still staring upon him, white with horror.

"Anna!" he cried, "Anna! Help!"

And then his utterance failed him, and he fell back, to all appearance
dead.

Seraphina ran to and fro in the room; she wrung her hands and cried
aloud; within she was all one uproar of terror, and conscious of no
articulate wish but to awake.

There came a knocking at the door; and she sprang to it and held it,
panting like a beast, and with the strength of madness in her arms, till
she had pushed the bolt. At this success a certain calm fell upon her
reason. She went back and looked upon her victim, the knocking growing
louder. O yes, he was dead. She had killed him. He had called upon von
Rosen with his latest breath; ah! who would call on Seraphina? She had
killed him. She, whose irresolute hand could scarce prick blood from her
own bosom, had found strength to cast down that great colossus at a
blow.

All this while the knocking was growing more uproarious and more unlike
the staid career of life in such a palace. Scandal was at the door, with
what a fatal following she dreaded to conceive; and at the same time
among the voices that now began to summon her by name, she recognised
the Chancellor's. He or another, somebody must be the first.

"Is Herr von Greisengesang without?" she called.

"Your Highness--yes!" the old gentleman answered. "We have heard cries,
a fall. Is anything amiss?"

"Nothing," replied Seraphina. "I desire to speak with you. Send off the
rest." She panted between each phrase; but her mind was clear. She let
the looped curtain down upon both sides before she drew the bolt; and,
thus secure from any sudden eyeshot from without, admitted the
obsequious Chancellor, and again made fast the door.

Greisengesang clumsily revolved among the wings of the curtain; so that
she was clear of it as soon as he.

"My God!" he cried. "The Baron!"

"I have killed him," she said. "O, killed him!"

"Dear me," said the old gentleman, "this is most unprecedented. Lovers'
quarrels," he added ruefully, "redintegratio----" and then paused. "But,
my dear madam," he broke out again, "in the name of all that is
practical, what are we to do? This is exceedingly grave; morally, madam,
it is appalling. I take the liberty, your Highness, for one moment, of
addressing you as a daug