be mutual," I observed drily.

The Princess became violently agitated.

"You must let me save you," she exclaimed clasping her hands.

"In what way?"

"You must let me kill you _here_, to-night.

"Don't you understand?" she pursued breathlessly. "It is absolutely
necessary for your safety, perhaps for the safety of both of us, that
they should think I have carried out my instructions. You must appear
to die. Then they will no longer concern themselves about you, and
you will be able to assume some other personality without being
suspected."

The scheme appealed to me strongly, all the more that it seemed as
though it could be made to fit in very well with my own plans.

"You are a clever woman, Sophia," I said cautiously. "How do you
purpose to carry out your scheme? They will want to see my corpse, I
suppose."

She drew out the little key I have already described.

"Come this way."

I followed her through the bedroom as before to the door of the
locked oratory.

She opened the door and admitted me.

By the light of the wax candles I saw what was surely one of the
strangest sights ever presented to mortal eyes.

It was myself, lying in state!

On a high bier draped in white and black cloth, I lay, or, rather, my
counterpart presentment in wax lay, wrapped and shrouded like a dead
body, a branch of palm in the closed hands, and a small Russian coin
resting on the lips, in accordance with a quaint custom which
formerly prevailed in many lands.

In spite of my habitual self-command I was unable to repress a cold
shiver at this truly appalling spectacle.

"Your stage management is perfect," I observed after a pause. "But
will they be satisfied with a look only?"

"I do not think so. It will be necessary for you to put on the
appearance of death for a short time, till I have satisfied them.
Afterward I can conceal you in here, while this--" she pointed to the
ghastly figure--"is buried under your name."

"Let us get back to the other room, before we talk about it," I
urged. "This is not altogether a pleasant sight."

As we passed out of the oratory I stealthily took note of the
fastening of the door. The lock was on the outside only; in other
words, if I permitted myself to be immured in the cell-like chamber,
I should be a prisoner at the mercy of my charming friend.

"And now, by what means do you purpose that I shall assume the
appearance of death?" I inquired as soon as we had returned to the