the hand in the ruffled sleeve could be seen, and
it seemed like some hideous dismembered thing. Outlined against the
fading light stood a tall figure with an enormous ringleted wig falling
far over the shoulders. When this being moved, his shadow, thrown upon
the ceiling by the embers' glow, appeared to join in the wavering,
dance-like movements of the other shadows, and seemed like some ungainly
monster. One portion of the room was not reached either by light of fire
or fading day, and out of this utter darkness came the sound of repressed
sobbing, which alone revealed the presence of a fourth member of this
lugubrious party. For many minutes the silence was unbroken save for the
stealthy sobbing, the sough of the wind without, the pattering rain, and
the tap-tap of the twigs on the windows, sounding for all the world like
the fumbling of invisible fingers seeking for admittance. The man at the
centre table broke silence at length.

'Impossible!' he said in a harsh voice. 'Madame la Baronne cannot imagine
we can live in Stuttgart at the court,' this last pompously, in spite of
the real distress of the voice. 'How can we? on five hundred gulden a
year and debts to pay--alas! No! I must return to the army, only coming
on leave once a year to fulfil my court appointment; and, Marie, you must
live in Rottenburg with your mother while I am away.'

At this a figure moved out of the darkness behind the stove, and another
fantastic shadow was cast upon the ceiling.

'Never, Friedrich! It is cruel to ask it. You know well enough that, if
you did not gamble, we could live quite finely on what we have got. Your
duties as Kammerjunker need not keep you for ever in Stuttgart; we might
live in Rottenburg.' She clasped her hands, her voice trembled between
tears and anger.

'Rottenburg----' The man's voice was full of scorn, vibrating with
derision. 'Ah! yes!--Mass each morning, and----'

'Friedrich, I will never let you return to the army; rather would I
humble myself before that wicked woman, Madame de Geyling, and beg her
to influence Serenissimus to give you a higher and better paid
appointment. I tell you----'

'Madame,' broke in a deep voice, and the figure at the window moved
forward, 'there are other ways of gaining gold at court; a beautiful
woman need never be poor, I can vouch----'

'Monsieur de Stafforth!' almost shouted the first speaker, 'you address
my wife! I am poor, but the honour of a wife of a Graevenitz s