; I tell you the truth. He lives."

"Then take me to him. The crisis is past. I can bear to meet him;
nothing but delay will kill me now!" cried the lady, hurriedly.

"He stands beside you!" said the stranger.

A long, deep sigh, and Leonide lay in the arms of the pilgrim, who was
still masked. But she recovered herself with superhuman energy, and
said,--

"Come, come, I must see you. I must kneel at your feet. I must clasp
your hands; my joy--my love--my life!"

"Room, room, there!" cried a seneschal. "The emperor!"

"Dearest Leonide," whispered a voice in her ear, "I resolved to see
you again to-night, in spite of your prohibition to renew my suit."

"Then wait here beside me; do not leave me," answered the lady, as she
recognized St. Eustache.

"That will I not, dearest," was the fervent reply.

Napoleon, with Josephine leaning on his arm, advanced through the
broad space cleared by the attendants, and when he had taken up a
position in the centre of the hall, near Lioncourt and his bride, St.
Eustache and Lasalle, gave the signal for the company to unmask. As
they obeyed, and every face was uncovered, his quick glance caught the
pale and handsome features of the young cavalry colonel.

"What!" he exclaimed, impetuously. "Can the grave give up its dead? Do
our eyes deceive us? Is this indeed Lioncourt, whom we left dead upon
the field of Austerlitz? Advance, man, and satisfy our doubts."

Lioncourt advanced, and the emperor laid his hand upon his arm.

"You are pale as a ghost, man; but still you're flesh and blood. Give
an account of yourself. Speak quickly; don't you see these ladies are
dying of curiosity? and, faith, so I am too," he added, smiling.

"Sire," said the colonel, "you will, perhaps, remember ordering my
regiment in pursuit of the flying Russians?"

"Perfectly well; and they performed the service gallantly. Their rear
was cut to pieces."

"St. Eustache and I rode side by side," pursued the colonel.

"Here is St. Eustache," cried the emperor, beckoning the officer to
advance.

"My dear colonel!" cried St. Eustache, embracing his old commander.

"Go on, colonel," cried the emperor, stamping his foot impatiently.

"We hung upon the flying rear of the enemy, sabring every man we
overtook. Faith, I hardly know what happened afterwards," said the
colonel, pausing.

"Take up the thread of the story, St. Eustache," said the emperor;
"don't let it break off here."

"Well, sire," said