ch ran thus: "Merciless scalpel hacked and
hewed away at the still almost palpitating flesh of the murdered man, in
whose breast the dagger remained deeply buried,--a ferocious joy--a
savage, hyena-like triumph now----"

But we are to some extent digressing from the thread of our narrative.

Nisida placed the lamp in the chimney, in such a way that its light was
concealed so as to leave all the immediate vicinity of the door in a
state of complete darkness; and she seated herself in a chair close by,
to await the expected events of midnight.

Slowly, slowly passed the intervening twenty minutes; and the lady had
ample leisure to reflect upon all the incidents of her life--ay, and to
shudder too at one which had dyed her hand with blood--the blood of
Agnes!

Yet, though she shuddered thus, she did not look upon it with that
unbounded, tremendous horror that would be experienced by a lady
similarly placed in these times; for jealousy was a feeling that, by the
tacit convention of a vitiated society, was an excuse for even murder;
and, moreover, she possessed the true Italian heart, which deemed the
death of a rival in love a justifiable act of vengeance.

But she felt some compunction, because she had learnt, when it was too
late, that Agnes was not the mistress of Fernand Wagner; and she was
convinced that in affirming this much he had uttered the strictest
truth.

Thus was she rather grieved at the fatal mistake than appalled by the
deed itself; and she shuddered because she knew that her fearful
impetuosity of disposition had led to the unnecessary deed which had
entailed so dark a suspicion and so much peril upon her lover.

She was in the midst of these and other reflections connected with the
various salient features of her life, when the door of the room was
slowly and cautiously opened, and a man entered, bearing a lantern in
his hand.

Two others followed close behind him.

"Shut the door, Lomellino," said the foremost.

"But are you sure that this is the room?" asked the man thus addressed.

"Certain," was the reply. "Antonio described its situation so
clearly----"

"Then why did he not join us?"

"How do I know? But that need not prevent us----"

Nisida at this moment raised the lamp from the fire-place, and the light
flashing at that end of the room, produced a sudden start and
ejaculation on the part of the banditti.

"Perdition!" cried Stephano, "what can this mean?"

Nisida advanced tow