THE WATCH-TOWER OF KOAT-VEN. 581 



thy hate hath slain thy brother, and as thy love destroyed the 

 duchess/ " 



" You may conceive his disdain and raillery ; but if thou art 

 devoted to me, Perez, in three days it shall all happen as I have 

 predicted." 



"I await only thy commands, Madame." "The Chevalier de 

 l'Eprin, Perez, his friend, this loyal gentleman, who engaged him- 

 self so nobly in this honourable league against a poor woman, this 

 chevalier, I say, in visiting Madame de Valentinois, passes by the 

 side of some deep and dismal quarries, and generally alone." " Tis 

 so, Madame," answered Perez, with a peculiar curl in the upper 

 lip, at the same time patting the broad forehead of his enormous 

 greyhound ; " and here is Etrik who has many times seized a bull by 

 the throat, and trust me, Madame, do I but give the word the brave 

 beast would not fail to hold the strongest horse by the throat, or fix 

 him by the flank ; and if the horseman should perchance be wending 

 near the startling precipice or rugged quarry's brink there would 

 be peril, Madame the rider's death would be certain." " Yes, yes, 

 Perez, Etrik is a gallant hound, but Lelia ?" "She takes me for a 

 Peruvian, Madame, and by force of gold promises to receive me 

 to-morrow." " The poisons of Jose Orbez are sure, leave no trace 

 behind, and act at the appointed time by increasing or diminishing 

 the dose." 



" 'Tis well, tis all well," exclaimed Rita eagerly, " and now for the 

 bishop." "This poor old man, what has he done to offend me? 

 Why should he be my victim*? Alas! Perez, 'tis indeed dreadful." 

 This burst of feeling was soon at an end ; Rita had suffered too much 

 herself not to be able to subdue an ill-timed impression of compas- 

 sion. '* We will follow the Bishop de Surville to his chateau, Perez. 

 Once then in the village, thou or I will find the means of approach- 

 ing him ; then " 



At this moment a violent knocking was heard at the street door, 

 succeeded by the rattle of musquetry upon the pavement, and a 

 commanding voice exclaimed, " Open, in the king's name !" 

 * * * * ' * 



The little chamber was presently filled by twenty soldiers of the 

 watch commanded by a sergeant of gendarmes. They were en- 

 gaged, some in whispering low to each other and pointing towards 

 Rita; others in examining the furniture of the room. Seated at the 

 little table was a man of vulgar appearance, fat and dirty, clad in a 

 greasy black gown : the commissary of police. Before him stood 

 Rita and Perez. " Your names'?" enquired insolently the little black 

 man. " Perez de Sibeyra." "Business?" " Negociant." "Oh, 

 negociant; very fine, a pretty merchandise ; your papers?" "I have 

 lost them." "Exactly, that's what I expected. And you, la belle? 

 Come take away your hands and do not conceal that handsome face ; 

 your name ? Speak then," said the commissary passionately, as he 

 raised himself to pull down the hands which concealed the face of 

 the duchess. " Wretch ! touch her not," cried Perez as he rushed 

 towards the commissary. "Secure him, pinion him," said the little 

 black man calmly. " You refuse then to speak, Madame ! 'tis well ; 



M,M. No. 6. 2 T 



