past midnight. All was hushed in our bridal chamber. The
single lamp, which hung above, burned still and clear; and through the
half-closed curtains of the window, the moonlight looked in upon our
couch, quiet and pure and holy, as if it were charged with blessings.

"Hush!" said Isora, gently; "do you not hear a noise below?"

"Not a breath," said I; "I hear not a breath, save yours."

"It was my fancy, then!" said Isora, "and it has ceased now;" and she
clung closer to my breast and fell asleep. I looked on her peaceful and
childish countenance, with that concentrated and full delight with which
we clasp all that the universe holds dear to us, and feel as if the
universe held nought beside,--and thus sleep also crept upon me.

I awoke suddenly; I felt Isora trembling palpably by my side. Before I
could speak to her, I saw standing at a little distance from the bed, a
man wrapped in a long dark cloak and masked; but his eyes shone through
the mask, and they glared full upon me. He stood with his arms folded,
and perfectly motionless; but at the other end of the room, before the
escritoire in which I had locked the important packet, stood another
man, also masked, and wrapped in a disguising cloak of similar hue and
fashion. This man, as if alarmed, turned suddenly, and I perceived then
that the escritoire was already opened, and that the packet was in his
hand. I tore myself from Isora's clasp--I stretched my hand to the table
by my bedside, upon which I had left my sword,--it was gone! No matter!
I was young, strong, fierce, and the stake at hazard was great. I sprang
from the bed, I precipitated myself upon the man who held the packet.
With one hand I grasped at the important document, with the other I
strove to tear the mask from the robber's face. He endeavoured rather
to shake me off than to attack me; and it was not till I had nearly
succeeded in unmasking him that he drew forth a short poniard, and
stabbed me in the side. The blow, which seemed purposely aimed to save a
mortal part, staggered me, but only for an instant. I renewed my grip
at the packet--I tore it from the robber's hand, and collecting my
strength, now fast ebbing away, for one effort, I bore my assailant to
the ground, and fell struggling with him.

But my blood flowed fast from my wound, and my antagonist, if less
sinewy than myself, had greatly the advantage in weight and size. Now
for one moment I was uppermost, but in the next his knee wa