be yours; we will share my treasure
like brothers; I would give you
everything--even to my Duchy----"

"Eccellenza, procure from the
Pope an absolution _in articulo mor-
tis_. It would be of more use to me
in my walk of life."

OR ROMAN REVENGE 227

"What you will. Only file
through the bars of my cage and
lend me your dagger. We have but
little time, quick, quick! Oh, if my
teeth were but files!--I have tried
to eat through this iron."

"Eccellenza," said Rinaldo, "I
have already filed through one bar."

"You are a god!"

"Your wife was at the fete given
by the Princess Villaviciosa. She
brought home her little Frenchman;
she is drunk with love.--You have
plenty of time."

"Have you done?"

"Yes."

228 OLYMPIA

"Your dagger?" said the Duke
eagerly to the brigand.

"Here it is."

"Good. I hear the clatter of the
spring."

"Do not forget me!" cried the
robber, who knew what gratitude
was.

"No more than my father," cried
the Duke.

"Good-bye!" said Rinaldo. "Lord!
How he flies up!" he added to him-
self as the Duke disappeared.--"No
more than his father! If that is
all he means to do for me.--And I

OR ROMAN REVENGE 229

had sworn a vow never to injure a
woman!"

But let us leave the robber for a
moment to his meditations and go
up, like the Duke, to the rooms in
the palace.

"Another tailpiece, a Cupid on a snail! And page 230 is blank," said the
journalist. "Then there are two more blank pages before we come to the
word it is such a joy to write when one is unhappily so happy as to be a
novelist--_Conclusion_!

CONCLUSION

Never had the Duchess been more
lovely; she came from her bath
clothed like a goddess, and on seeing

234 OLYMPIA

Adolphe voluptuously reclining on
piles of cushions--

"You are beautiful," said she.

"And so are you, Olympia!"

"And you still love me?"

"More and more," said he.

"Ah, none but a Frenchman
knows how to love!" cried the
Duchess. "Do you love me well to-
night?"

"Yes."

"Then come!"

And with an impulse of love and
hate--whether it was that Cardinal
Borborigano had reminded her of
her husband, or that she felt un-
wonted passion to display, she
pressed the springs and held out her
arms.

"That is all," said Lou