l the agonies I have borne on your
account, and will you still haunt me with that mocking smile? Cecily,
Cecily! Back to the fiends from whom you sprung, and drive me not to
destruction!"

All at once a hasty knock was heard at the door of the apartment.
Polidori immediately opened it, and perceived the principal clerk in the
notary's office, who, pale and much agitated, exclaimed, "I must speak
with M. Ferrand directly!"

"Hush!" answered Polidori, in a low tone, as he came forth from the room
and shut the door after him; "he is very ill just now, and cannot be
disturbed on any account."

"Then do you, sir, who are M. Ferrand's best and most intimate friend,
step forward to help and assist him; but come quickly, for there is not
an instant to be lost!"

"What has happened?"

"By M. Ferrand's orders, I went to-day to the house of the Countess
Macgregor, to say that he was unable to wait on her to-day, according to
her request. This lady, who seems quite out of danger at present, sent
for me to her chamber; when I went in, she exclaimed, in an angry,
threatening manner,'Go back to M. Ferrand, and say to him that if he is
not here in half an hour, or at least before the close of the day, he
shall be arrested for felony. The child he passed off as dead is still
living; I know into whose hands he gave her up, and I also know where
she is at this present minute.'"

"This lady must be out of her senses," cried Polidori, shrugging up his
shoulders. "Poor thing!"

"I should have thought so myself, but for the confident manner in which
the countess spoke."

"I have no doubt but that her illness has affected her head; and persons
labouring under any delusion are always impressed with the most perfect
conviction of the truth of their fancies."

"I ought also to state that, just as I was leaving the room, one of the
countess's female attendants entered all in a hurry, and said, 'His
highness will be here in an hour's time!'"

"You are sure you heard those words?" asked Polidori.

"Quite, quite sure, sir! And I remember it the more, because I
immediately began wondering in my own mind what highness she could
mean."

"It is quite clear," said Polidori, mentally, "she expects the prince;
but how comes that about? What strange course of events can have induced
him to visit one he ought never again to meet? I know not why, but I
greatly mistrust this renewal of intimacy. Our position, bad as it is,
may even be rendered