ooked in my face appealingly, and said, "Monsieur, I know you are a
Frenchman. I see it in the chivalrous lines of your countenance. Ah!
have pity on a friendless young girl, and do not gaze at her with such
chilling indifference. I also am French. These wretches have waylaid
and imprisoned me, and they hope to obtain a ransom by my detention.
My friends are ignorant of my miserable fate. What can I do, monsieur,
unless you assist me?"

Utterly helpless--drugged--yet perfectly conscious of all the lovely
creature was saying, I was truly in a most deplorable situation. Again
and again she begged me, if there was a spark of French chivalry left
in my nature, not to respond to her appeals by such a look of
unutterable disdain. She was thrillingly beautiful; and beauty in
tears is enough to melt the hardest heart that ever was put in the
breast of man. I could feel her balmy breath upon my face, and the
warmth of her delicate hand in mine, as she struggled to arouse me;
and I declare it is my honest conviction that, had I been simply a
corpse, life would have come back to my assistance; but this
diabolical drug possessed some extraordinary power against which not
even the fascinations of beauty could successfully contend. Under
other circumstances, indeed, there is no telling--but why talk of
other circumstances? There I lay like a log, completely paralyzed from
head to foot. At length, unable to elicit an answer, a flush of
mingled indignation and scorn illuminated her beautiful features, and,
drawing herself back with a haughty air, she said, "If this be the
boasted chivalry of my countrymen, then the sooner it meets with a
merited reward the better. Allow me to say, monsieur, that while I
admire your prudence, I scorn the spirit that prompts it!" and, with a
glance of fierce disdain, she swept with queenly strides out of the
room. A moment after I heard some voices in the passage, and scarcely
five minutes had elapsed before the door was opened again. To my
horror I saw the ruffian who had first followed me enter stealthily
with a darkened lantern, and approach toward my bed. He carried in his
right hand a heavy bar of iron. Stopping a moment opposite a shrine on
one side of the room, he laid down his lamp and bar, and, bowing down
three times, crossed himself devoutly, and then proceeded to
accomplish his fiendish work. No conception can be formed of the agony
with which I now regarded my fate. Crouching low as he appro