n bitten by a tarantula?"

"Oh! I could sing, I could shout, I could dance. Man! that is the
very girl we want; and Monsieur the Vidame, who lies within, twisting
in his chair, will pay a thousand fat, gold Henris for her when he
knows. Ho! it will be rare news for him!"

"Are you sure?"

"As I live. Did I not watch her for a whole week at Saumur? 'Tis well
we have not Aramon and the rest with us. The fewer there are the
larger the shares. Can Malsain deal with the lackey?"

Piero grinned for reply.

"Well! let him be his care, and you had better stay at hand here. Give
me the key of the gate, and, remember, a hundred crowns apiece to you
and Malsain for this. And now for a word in the Vidame's ear."

With this he turned back into the house, leaving Piero looking after
him.

"A hun--dred crowns apiece! _Diavolo_! Captain Torquato! If I knew
the money was here I would make the whole thousand mine; and then--hey
for Rome again! But a hundred crowns are a hundred crowns, and fill a
purse rarely. Well, I go to warn Malsain!"

And the giant went slowly off, regretting in his heart what might have
been.

In the meantime we found ourselves on a landing before an open door,
disclosing a room brightly lit. There was a glimpse too of a table
laid for supper, and near the table stood a tall woman, with black hair
that hung to her waist, with bare rounded arms and painted cheeks, and
a face that was beautiful still, though she had come to be what she was.

She was holding a cup of red wine in her hand, but stopped in the act
of lifting it to her lips as she caught sight of us, and setting down
the wine untasted advanced, saying:

"Enter, I pray you. La Marmotte bids you welcome."

"I thank you, madame," I replied bowing, with many misgivings in my
heart, and inwardly cursing the folly that had made me yield and enter
this house. But who is there who does not make mistakes?--and I for
one have never set claim to be infallible. I was wrong, and I admit
it--that is enough.

And so we went in, and for the first time there was light enough to see
mademoiselle's face, and as I looked there came to me a sting of regret
for the days that would never return. It was as if some devil had
flashed before me a mirror in which the past was reflected; and,
believe me, when one has lived and regretted it is not necessary to be
in love for such a lightning flash of bitter memory to come to a man
when he sees besid