neffectually.

The Chevalier raised his head. . . . A woman? Or was his brain
mocking him? And masked? How came she here? He was confused, and his
sense of emergency lay fallow. He knew not what to do. One thing was
certain; he must make known his presence, for he was positive that she
was unaware of it. He rose, and the noise of his chair sliding back
brought from her an affrighted cry. She turned. The light of the
candle played upon his face.

"Madame, pardon me, but I have been asleep. I did not hear you enter.
It was very careless of them to show you in here."

She rose without speaking and walked toward the door, with no uncertain
step, with a dignity not lacking in majesty.

"She sees I have been drinking," he thought. "Pray, Madame, do not
leave. Rather let me do that."

She made a gesture, hurried but final, and left him.

"It seems to me," mused the Chevalier, resuming his seat, "that I have
lost gallantry to-night, among other considerable things. I might have
opened the door for her. I wonder why she did not speak?"

CHAPTER XI

MONSIEUR LE COMTE D'HEROUVILLE TAKES THE JOURNEY TO QUEBEC

Victor ran most of the way back to the Corne d'Abondance. Gabrielle
and Paul were together, unconscious puppets in the booth of Fate, that
master of subtile ironies! How many times had their paths neared,
always to diverge again, because Fate had yet to prepare the cup of
misery? How well he had contrived to bring them together: she, her cup
running bitter with disillusion and dread of imprisonment; he, dashed
from the summit of worldly hopes, his birth impugned, stripped of
riches and pride, his lips brushed with the ashes of greatness! And on
this night, of all nights, their paths melted and became as one. It
was true that they had never met; but this night was one of dupes and
fools, and nothing was impossible. He cursed the vicomte for having
put the lust to kill into his head, when he needed clearness and
precision and delicacy to avert this final catastrophe. After the
morrow all would he well; Gabrielle would be on the way to Spain, the
Chevalier on the way to New France. But to-night! Dupes and fools,
indeed! He stumbled on through the drifts. The green lantern at last:
was he too late? He rushed into the tavern, thence into the private
assembly, his rapier still in his hand. The cold air yet choked his
lungs, forcing him to breathe noisily and rapidly. He cast about a
ner