ve done something foolish. The lady
hardly imagines what the end of the comedy will be."

Neither did Quennebert. It was an evening of adventures. It was written
that in the space of two hours Angelique was to run the gamut of all the
emotions, experience all the vicissitudes to which a life such as she led
is exposed: hope, fear, happiness, mortification, falsehood, love that
was no love, intrigue within intrigue, and, to crown all, a totally
unexpected conclusion.

CHAPTER V

The chevalier was still holding Angelique's hand when a step resounded
outside, and a voice was heard.

"Can it be that he has come back?" exclaimed the damsel, hastily freeing
herself from the passionate embrace of the chevalier. "It's not
possible! Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu! it's his voice!"

She grew pale to the lips, and stood staring at the door with
outstretched arms, unable to advance or recede.

The chevalier listened, but felt sure the approaching voice belonged
neither to the commander nor to the treasurer.

"'His voice'?" thought Quennebert to himself. "Can this be yet another
aspirant to her favour?"

The sound came nearer.

"Hide yourself!" said Angelique, pointing to a door opposite to the
partition behind which the widow and the notary were ensconced. "Hide
yourself there!--there's a secret staircase--you can get out that way."

"I hide myself!" exclaimed Moranges, with a swaggering air. "What are
you thinking of? I remain."

It would have been better for him to have followed her advice, as may
very well have occurred to the youth two minutes later, as a tall,
muscular young man entered in a state of intense excitement. Angelique
rushed to meet him, crying--

"Ah! Monsieur le duc, is it you?"

"What is this I hear, Angelique?" said the Duc de Vitry. "I was told
below that three men had visited you this evening; but only two have gone
out--where is the third? Ha! I do not need long to find him," he added,
as he caught sight of the chevalier, who stood his ground bravely enough.

"In Heaven's name!" cried Angelique,--"in Heaven's name, listen to me!"

"No, no, not a word. Just now I am not questioning you. Who are you,
sir?"

The chevalier's teasing and bantering disposition made him even at that
critical moment insensible to fear, so he retorted insolently--

"Whoever I please to be, sir; and on my word I find the tone in which you
put your question delightfully amusing."

The duke sprang forward