her
limbs; she sank.

The cuirassiers rushed to the roof.... When they came down it was slowly
and carefully. What they had found on the roof was of no use to them.
They laid the inanimate thing on the lounge, and frowned. One of the
cuirassiers lifted the ballet dancer and carried her into her bed-room,
and laid her on the bed. He had not the heart to revive her. Death
softens all angers; even an enemy is no longer such when dead. And
Johann Kopf was dead.

CHAPTER XXI. A COURT FETE AT THE RED CHATEAU

At eight o'clock of the following evening, that is to say, the
nineteenth of September, Maurice mounted the Thalian pass and left the
kingdom in the valley behind him. He was weary, dusty, lame and out of
humor; besides, he had a new weight on his conscience. The night before
he had taken the life of a man. True, this had happened before, but
always in warfare. He had killed in a moment of rage and chagrin a
poor devil who was at most only a puppet. There was small credit in the
performance. However, the rascal would have suffered death in any event,
his act being one of high treason.

In the long ride he had made up his mind to lock away forever the silly
dream, the tender, futile, silly dream. All men die with secrets locked
in their hearts; thus he, too, would die. His fancy leaped across the
chasm of intervening years to the day of his death, and the thought
was a happy one! He smiled sadly, as young men smile when they pity
themselves. He knew that he would never get over it--in a day. But
to-morrow, or to-morrow's to-morrow..

He took the pass's decline; the duchy spread away toward the south. A
quarter of a mile below him he saw the barrack and the customs office
which belonged to Madame the duchess. The corporal inspected him and
his papers, spoke lowly to the customs inspector, who returned to his
office.

"It is all right, Monsieur Carewe," said the corporal; "I ought to
recognize the horse a mile away. You will arrive just in time."

"Just in time for what?"

"Ah, true. Her Highness gives a grand ball at the chateau to-night. The
court has arrived from Brunnstadt. Some will reside at the chateau, some
at General Duckwitz's, others at the Countess Herzberg's."

"Has the duchess arrived at last, then?" was the cynical inquiry.

"She will arrive this evening," answered the corporal, grinning. "A
pleasant journey to you."

Maurice proceeded. "And that blockhead of an Englishman has not tumbled