; the next moment she
screamed, and I saw her enveloped in flames!"

"She was burned to death!" cried Ivan, covering his face with his
hands. Then, after a pause, "Was there no one near to save her?"

"Was there no one?" answered Theudelinde. "Were you, then, asleep at
midnight? Did you not hear her call, 'Ivan, help me!'? Did you not see
her standing beside your bed in flames--an angel with hell in her
heart? Why were you not by her side to hold her in your arms, to
stifle the flames, to snatch her from the jaws of death? Where were
you, who should have saved her? Now she is here, and says to you, 'I
am gone. I am no one. Let us be united.'"

Ivan felt as if an iron band had been laid upon his heart.

"She lived," continued Theudelinde, "for two days. She suffered the
most terrible pain. When I think of all she went through I feel as if
my senses were leaving me. To the last she was conscious. She spoke--
But no--why should I tell you what she said? Just before she died she
asked for a pencil, and wrote a few words to you. Here they are in
this envelope. Do not break the seal, do not read them, so long as I
am here. I would rather give you no explanation. If you have anything
to ask, ask it from her. Here is the key of the coffin; I give it to
you."

Ivan recoiled from receiving such a present.

"Why should you be afraid? Why do you object to opening the coffin?
There is nothing to fear. The body is embalmed, and the flames did not
touch her face. You will see that she smiles."

Ivan forced himself to raise the coffin-lid and to look on the face of
the dead. There was no smile on her lips. She was calm and cold; as
when she lay insensible in the wood, with her head upon a cushion of
moss, so now she lay upon her white satin cushion. Ivan felt that if
she could open her eyes for one minute she would look at him proudly
and say, "I want nothing," and close them again. How beautiful she
was, with her still, marble face, her immovable eyebrows. Ivan would
not disturb its calm loveliness by even one kiss. He would have felt
it to be dishonorable, and yet, if she could have come to life again,
who knows--? As on the day when he had closed her dress with his
breast-pin, so now he shrouded her secret with the coffin-lid. Her
secret was safe with him.

"Keep the key," said Theudelinde. "The coffin, its key, and the
treasure it holds are yours; that is settled. You are the master of
the vault; it is your duty to take h