nce of suicide, which would be at once
a deliverance and a punishment, to disappear, leaving to Zilah only a
memory.

But why not die now? Ah! why? why? To this eternal question Marsa made
reply, that, for deceiving him by becoming his wife, she would pay with
her life. A kiss, then death. In deciding to act a lie, she condemned
herself. She only sought to give to her death the appearance of
an accident, not wishing to leave to Andras the double memory of a
treachery and a crime.

She listened to the Prince as he spoke of the future, of all the
happiness of their common existence. She listened as if her resolution
to die had not been taken, and as if Zilah was promising her, not a
minute, but an eternity, of joy.

General Vogotzine and Marsa accompanied the Prince to the station, he
having come to Maisons by the railway. The Tzigana's Danish hounds went
with them, bounding about Andras, and licking his hands as he caressed
them.

"They already know the master," laughed Vogotzine. "I have rarely seen
such gentle animals," remarked the Prince.

"Gentle? That depends!" said Marsa.

After separating from the Prince, she returned, silent and abstracted,
with Vogotzine. She saw Andras depart with a mournful sadness, and a
sudden longing to have him stay--to protect her, to defend her, to be
there if Michel should come.

It was already growing dark when they reached home. Marsa ate but little
at dinner, and left Vogotzine alone to finish his wine.

Later, the General came, as usual, to bid his niece goodnight. He found
Marsa lying upon the divan in the little salon.

"Don't you feel well? What is the matter?"

"Nothing."

"I feel a little tired, and I was going to bed. You don't care to have
me keep you company, do you, my dear?"

Sometimes he was affectionate to her, and sometimes he addressed her
with timid respect; but Marsa never appeared to notice the difference.

"I prefer to remain alone," she answered.

The General shrugged his shoulders, bent over, took Marsa's delicate
hand in his, and kissed it as he would have kissed that of a queen.

Left alone, Marsa lay there motionless for more than an hour. Then she
started suddenly, hearing the clock strike eleven, and rose at once.

The domestics had closed the house. She went out by a back door which
was used by the servants, the key of which was in the lock.

She crossed the garden, beneath the dark shadows of the trees, with a
slow, mechanical moveme