omfiture.
He was beginning to exert his strength upon my wrist--that strength
which had choked and flung away the great hound. To save my arm, I let
go my dagger. The Captain put his foot on it till an attendant, whom the
Count had summoned, stooped for it. My sword was picked up by another
man, whereupon, at the Count's command, it was hung upon a peg in the
wall, and the dagger attached to the handle of the sword. The two men
were then ordered to guard me, one at each side. They were burly
fellows, armed with daggers.

"Well, Monsieur, what next?" said I in as scornful a tone as I could
command.

"Patience, Monsieur; you will see."

There was a low, narrow door in the side of the hall, near the front. At
the Count's bidding, an attendant opened this, and I was marched into a
very small, bare room, the ceiling of which was scarce higher than my
head. This apartment had evidently been designed as a doorkeeper's box.
It's only furniture was a bench. A mere eyehole of a window in the
corner looked upon the court-yard.

"Remember," I called back to the Count, "you cannot put injuries upon me
with impunity. An account will be exacted in due time."

"Remember, you," he replied with a laugh, "that you have murdered two
men here, and are subject to my sentence."

My guards left me in the room, and stationed themselves outside the
door, which was then closed upon me. There was no lock to the door, but
it was possible to fasten the latch on the outside, and this was done,
as I presently discovered by trial.

I sat on the bench, and gazed out upon as much of the court-yard as the
window showed. Suddenly the window was darkened by something placed
against it outside,--a man's doublet propped up by a pike, or some such
device. I could not guess why they should cut off my light, unless as a
mere addition to the tediousness of my restraint. I disdained to show
annoyance, though I might have thrust my arm through the window and
displaced the obstruction. Later I saw the reason: it was to prevent my
seeing who passed through the court-yard.

It seemed an hour until suddenly my door was flung open. In the doorway
appeared the Captain, beckoning me to come forth. I did so.

Half-way up the hall, a little at one side, stood the Count. Near him,
and looking straight toward me, sat the Countess in a great arm-chair.
Besides the Captain and myself, those two were the only persons in the
hall. Even my guards had disappeared, and al