fathers send me afar, but I
shall return: if you have been active and faithful, I will make known to
you a great secret and bring you the elixir of life."

"When will you return, master?" asked Bisehofswerder, enthusiastically.

Cagliostro smiled. "Before the crown prince of Prussia becomes king. Ask
no further. Be faithful!"

CHAPTER XII. THE JESUIT GENERAL

No one remained in the drawing-room but Cagliostro and the beautiful
woman who still lay quietly on the couch, upon the throne. Cagliostro
approached her, and, raising the veil, regarded her a moment, with an
expression of the most passionate tenderness: "We are alone, Lorenza,"
said he. She opened her great eyes, and looked around the dimly-lighted
room; then, fixing them upon Cagliostro, who stood before her in his
brilliant costume of magician, she burst into a merry laugh, so loud and
so irresistible, that Cagliostro was seized involuntarily, and joined
her.

"Oh! was it not heavenly, was it not a glorious comedy, and did I not
play divinely, Joseph? Was I not bewitching as the goddess of Nature?"

"You looked truly like a goddess, Lorenza, and there is nothing more
beautiful than you, in heaven or upon earth. But come, my enchantress,
it is time to break up, as we are to set off early to-morrow morning."

"Have we now much money? Was the tribute richly paid?"

"Yes, we have a hundred louis d'ors and a diamond ring from the mistress
of this house."

"Give it to me," cried Lorenza.

"Not the ring, Lorenza, but the diamond, so soon as I have a false stone
set in the ring--which I must keep as a ring in the chain which will
bind this woman to our cause."

"Was I not astonishingly like her? Was it not almost unmistakable?"

"Yes, wonderfully deceptive. I shuddered myself as I saw the dagger
pointed at your bosom."

"And the blood, how it gushed forth, Joseph!" Lorenza burst into a
merry laugh again, and Cagliostro joined her, but suddenly stopped,
and, listening, turned toward the door, which he had closed after
Bischofswerder departed. It seemed as if he heard a noise--a peculiar
knocking. Four times it was repeated, and Cagliostro waved his hand
to Lorenza not to speak. Again were heard the four peculiar rhythmical
sounds. "Be quiet, for Heaven's sake be quiet, Lorenza! Let me cover you
with the veil; it is a messenger from the Invisibles." Cagliostro flew
to the door, unbolted it, and stood humbly near the entrance. A masked
figure, enve