to adopt such means, but
his passion for you is so great that he was driven to this step,
and it will entirely depend upon yourself when your captivity will
end.'

"'Your master, whoever he may be,' Anne said, 'is a contemptible
villain.'

"'Naturally, you have a poor opinion of him at present,' the
fellow said; 'but I am convinced that, in time, you will come to
excuse his fault. It is wholly due to the depth of the feeling
that he entertains towards you. There is a woman here who will
wait upon you. I and my men will not intrude. Our duty is solely
to see that you do not escape, which indeed would be an
impossibility for you, seeing that the wall that surrounds the
garden is well-nigh fifteen feet high, and the gate barred and
locked, and the key thereof in my pocket.'

"He called, and the old woman whom you brought here with Anne
entered, and bid her ascend to the room that had been prepared for
her.

"In that respect, she had nothing to complain of. Of course, you
did not notice it, as you had other things to think of, but it was
handsomely furnished. There was a bed in an alcove, some flowers
on the table, some books, and even a harpsichord--evidently it was
intended that her imprisonment should be made as light as might
be.

"Looking from the window, Anne saw that the room was at the back
of the house, and had probably been chosen because some trees shut
the window off from view of anyone beyond the wall. The next day,
the old woman announced the Vicomte de Tulle. He bowed profoundly,
and began by excusing the step that he had taken, and crediting it
solely to the passion that he had conceived for her. You may
imagine the scorn and reproaches with which she answered him. He
was quite unmoved by her words.

"'Mademoiselle,' he said calmly, when she paused, 'you may be sure
that I should not have undertaken this scheme, unless I had fully
weighed the consequences. My plans have been so laid that whatever
search may be made for you will be in vain. Here you are, and here
you will remain until you listen to my suit. Every want shall be
satisfied, and every wish complied with; but, whether it is one
year or five, you will not leave this house until you leave it as
my bride.'

"'Then, sir,' she said passionately, 'I shall be a prisoner for
life.'

"'So you may think, at present, mademoiselle,' he said. 'And I
expected nothing else. But, with time and reflection, you may come
to think otherwise. Union wit