e comes the sound?"

"From there," said Aurilly, pointing to a dark street. "But the sound
has ceased; it must have been some spy watching us."

"Remove the ladder."

Aurilly obeyed; however, no one appeared, and they heard no more noise.

"Well, monseigneur, is she beautiful?" said Aurilly.

"Very beautiful," said the prince, abstractedly.

"What makes you sad then? Did she see you?"

"No, she was asleep."

"Then what is the matter?"

"Aurilly, it is strange, but I have seen that woman somewhere."

"You recognized her, then?"

"No, I could not think of her name; but her face gave me a fearful
shock. I cannot tell how it is; but I believe I did wrong to look."

"However, just on account of the impression she has made on you, we must
find out who she is."

"Certainly we must."

"Seek well in your memory, monseigneur; is it at court you have seen
her?"

"No, I think not."

"In France, Navarre, Flanders?"

"No."

"A Spaniard perhaps."

"I do not think so."

"An English lady, one of Queen Elizabeth's?"

"No, I seem to know her more intimately, and that she appeared to me in
some terrible scene."

"Then you would have recognized her at once; you have not seen many such
scenes."

"Do you think so?" said the duke, with a gloomy smile. "Now," continued
he, "that I am sufficiently master of myself to analyze my sensations, I
feel that this woman is beautiful, but with the beauty of death;
beautiful as a shade, as a figure in a dream; and I have had two or
three frightful dreams in my life, which left me cold at the heart.
Well, now I am sure that it was in one of those dreams that I saw that
woman."

"Your highness is not generally so susceptible, and but that I believe
that we are watched from that street, I would mount in my turn and
look."

"Ma foi! you are right, Aurilly; what does it matter whether we are
watched or not? Go up and look."

Aurilly made a move forward to obey, when a hasty step was heard, and
Henri's voice, crying, "Monseigneur!"

"You here!" said the duke, while Aurilly bounded back to his side; "you
here, comte?--on what pretext have you quitted your post?"

"Monseigneur," replied Henri, firmly, "your highness can punish me, if
you think proper: meanwhile, my duty was to come here, and I came."

The duke glanced toward the window. "Your duty, comte? Explain that to
me," said he.

"Monseigneur, horsemen have been seen on the Spanish side of the river,
and we do not