ess, I do not know. I have also received
another ring, your Highness," continued I, taking off the ring given me
by the black domino.

"And who gave you this?" interrogated the Duke, again evidently
recognising it.

"May it please your Highness, I do not know. Also, this stiletto, but
from whom, I must again repeat, I do not know. Also, this packet, with
directions to put it into a dead man's bosom."

"And you are, I presume, equally ignorant of the party who gave it to
you?"

"Equally so, your Highness; as ignorant as I am of the party who desired
me to present you with the other packet which I delivered. Here is also
a paper I was desired to pin upon a man's clothes after I had
assassinated him."

"Indeed!--and to this, also, you plead total ignorance?"

"I have but one answer to give to all, your Highness, which is, I do not
know."

"Perhaps, sir, you do not know your own name or profession," observed
his Highness, with a sneer.

"Yes, your Highness," replied I, taking off my mask, "that I do know. I
am an Englishman, and, I trust, a gentleman, and a man of honour. My
name is Herbert; and I have more than once had the honour to be a guest
at your Highness's entertainments."

"Signor, I recognise you," replied the Grand Duke. "Let the room be
cleared--I must speak with this gentleman alone."

When the company had quitted the saloon, I entered into a minute detail
of the events of the evening, to which his Highness paid the greatest
attention; and when I had finished, the whole mystery was unravelled to
me by him, and with which I will now satisfy the curiosity of my
readers.

The Grand Duke had one daughter, by name Viola, whom he had wished to
marry to Rodolph, Count of Istria; but Viola had met with Albert,
Marquis of Salerno, and a mutual attachment had ensued. Although the
Grand Duke would not force his daughter's wishes and oblige her to marry
Count Rodolph, at the same time he would not consent to her espousals
with the Marquis Albert. Count Rodolph had discovered the intimacy
between Viola and the Marquis of Salerno, and had made more than one
unsuccessful attempt to get rid of his rival by assassination. After
some time, a private marriage with the marquis had been consented to by
Viola; and a year afterwards the Lady Viola retired to the country, and
without the knowledge, or even suspicions, of her father, had given
birth to a male child, which had been passed off as the offspring of one
of t