st, that of La Fere, was visible in the
distance; it had the somber and mysterious aspect of our northern
forests, so imposing: to southern natures, to whom, beyond all things,
heat and sunshine are necessary; but it was nothing to Remy and Diana,
who were accustomed to the thick woods of Anjou and Sologne. It might
have been about six o'clock in the evening when they entered the forest,
and after half an hour's journey the sun began to go down. A high wind
whirled about the leaves and carried them toward a lake, along the shore
of which the travelers were journeying. Diana rode in the middle,
Aurilly on the right, and Remy on the left. No other human being was
visible under the somber arches of the trees.

From the long extent of the road, one might have thought it one of those
enchanted forests, under whose shade nothing can live, had it not been
for the hoarse howling of the wolves waking up at the approach of night.
All at once Diana felt that her saddle, which had been put on by
Aurilly, was slipping. She called Remy, who jumped down, and began to
tighten the girths. At this moment Aurilly approached Diana, and while
she was occupied, cut the strings of silk which fastened her mask.
Before she had divined the movement, or had time to put up her hand,
Aurilly seized the mask and looked full at her. The eyes of these two
people met with a look so terrible, that no one could have said which
looked most pale and menacing. Aurilly let the mask and his dagger fall,
and clasping his hands, cried, "Heavens and earth! Madame de Monsoreau!"

"It is a name which you shall repeat no more," cried Remy, seizing him
by the girdle and dragging him from his horse. Both rolled on the ground
together, and Aurilly stretched out his hand to reach his dagger.

"No, Aurilly, no," said Remy, placing his knee on his breast.

"Le Haudoin!" cried Aurilly; "oh, I am a dead man!"

"That is not yet true, but will be in a moment," cried Remy; and drawing
his knife, he plunged the whole blade into the throat of the musician.

Diana, with haggard eyes, half turned on her saddle, and leaning on the
pommel, shuddering, but pitiless, had not turned her head away from this
terrible spectacle. However, when she saw the blood spurt out from the
wound, she fell from her horse as though she were dead.

Remy did not occupy himself with her at that terrible moment, but
searched Aurilly, took from him the two rouleaux of gold, then tied a
stone to the