isposition. Besides, he would not
have so obstinately declined to listen to the proposal I made him had
not his affections been engaged elsewhere. Who can she be? and by what
means shall I find her out?"

It would be absurd to question Norbert, and the Duke was excessively
unwilling to institute any regular inquiry into the matter. He passed
the whole night in gloomy indecision, but towards morning an inspiration
came to him which he looked upon as a special interposition of
Providence.

"Bruno," he exclaimed with a mighty oath. "The dog will show me the
place that his master frequents and perhaps lead me to the very woman
who had bewitched him."

The brilliant idea soothed him a great deal, and at one o'clock he took
his seat as usual at the head of the table, and ordered food to be taken
up to Norbert, but that none of the measures for his safe custody were
to be relaxed.

When he thought the moment was a favorable one, he whistled to Bruno,
and, though the dog rarely followed him, yet in the absence of his
master, he condescended to accompany the Duke down the avenue to the
front gates. Three roads branched off from here, but the dog did not
hesitate for a moment, and took the one to the left, like an animal who
knew his destination perfectly well. Bruno went ahead for nearly half
an hour, until he reached the exact spot where Diana had met with her
accident. He made a cast round, but finding nothing, sat down, clearly
saying,--

"Let us wait."

"This, then," muttered the Duke, "is the place where the lovers have
been in the habit of meeting each other."

The place was a very lonely one, and, standing on the rising ground,
commanded a view of the country for a long way round.

The Duke noticed this, and took up a position where the trunk of a
giant oak almost concealed him from observation. He was delighted at his
sagacity, and was almost in a good humor; for now that he had reflected,
the danger did not seem by any means so great, for to whom could Norbert
have lost his heart? To some little peasant girl, perhaps, who, thinking
that the lad was an easy dupe, had tried to induce him to marry her.
As these thoughts passed through the Duke's brain, Bruno gave a joyous
bark.

"Here she is,' muttered he, as he emerged from his hiding place, and at
that moment Diana de Laurebourg made her appearance; but as soon as she
saw the Duke she uttered a faint cry of alarm. She was inclined to turn
and fly, but her st