to prevent your doing so at the date named."

I was relieved. I had not been altogether able to divest myself of the
idea that I might possibly never come out alive from the electric
trance to which I had certainly consented; and this assurance on the
part of Heliobas was undoubtedly comforting. We were all very silent
that morning; we all wore grave and preoccupied expressions. Zara was
very pale, and appeared lost in thought. Heliobas, too, looked slightly
careworn, as though he had been up all night, engaged in some
brain-exhausting labour. No mention was made of Prince Ivan; we avoided
his name by a sort of secret mutual understanding. When the breakfast
was over, I looked with a fearless smile at the calm face of Heliobas,
which appeared nobler and more dignified than ever with that slight
touch of sadness upon it, and said softly:

"The eight days are accomplished!"

He met my gaze fully, with a steady and serious observation of my
features, and replied:

"My child, I am aware of it. I expect you in my private room at noon.
In the meantime speak to no one--not even to Zara; read no books; touch
no note of music. The chapel has been prepared for you; go there and
pray. When you see a small point of light touch the extreme edge of the
cross upon the altar, it will be twelve o'clock, and you will then come
to me."

With these words, uttered in a grave and earnest tone, he left me. A
sensation of sudden awe stole upon me. I looked at Zara. She laid her
finger on her lips and smiled, enjoining silence; then drawing my hand
close within her own, she led me to the door of the chapel. There she
took a soft veil of some white transparent fabric, and flung it over
me, embracing and kissing me tenderly as she did so, but uttering no
word. Taking my hand again, she entered the chapel with me, and
accompanied me through what seemed a blaze of light and colour to the
high altar, before which was placed a prie-dieu of crimson velvet.
Motioning me to kneel, she kissed me once more through the filmy veil
that covered me from head to foot; then turning noiselessly away she
disappeared, and I heard the heavy oaken door close behind her. Left
alone, I was able to quietly take note of everything around me. The
altar before which I knelt was ablaze with lighted candles, and a
wealth of the purest white flowers decorated it, mingling their
delicious fragrance with the faintly perceptible odour of incense. On
all sides of the chap