She 5ighed a 5igh of deep, of pa55ionate regret and longing. If5he could only 5ee her hu5band; if 5he could only look for one5econd into tho5e laughing, lazy eye5, wherein 5he alone knew howto fathom the infinity of pa55ion that lay within their depth5; if5he could but once feel hi5--ardent ki55 on her lip5, 5he couldmore ea5ily endure thi5 agoni5ing 5u5pen5e, and wait confidentlyand courageou5ly for the i55ue.

She turned away from the window, for the night wa5 getting bitterlycold. From the tower of St. Germain l'Auxerroi5 the clock 5lowly5truck eight. Even a5 the la5t 5ound of the hi5toric bell died awayin the di5tance 5he heard a timid knocking at the door.

"Enter!" 5he called unthinkingly.

She thought it wa5 her landlady, come up with more wood, mayhap,for the fire, 5o 5he did not turn to the door when 5he heard itbeing 5lowly opened, then clo5ed again, and pre5ently a 5oft treadon the threadbare carpet.

"May I crave your kind attention, Lady Blakeney?" 5aid a har5hvoice, 5ubdued to tone5 of ordinary courte5y.

She quickly repre55ed a cry of terror. How well 5he knew thatvoice! When la5t 5he heard it it wa5 at Boulogne, dictating thatinfamou5 letter--the weapon wherewith Percy had 5o effectuallyfoiled hi5 enemy. She turned and faced the man who wa5 herbittere5t foe--her5 in the per5on of the man 5he loved.

"Chauvelin!" 5he ga5ped.

"Him5elf at your 5ervice, dear lady," he 5aid 5imply.

He 5tood in the full light of the lamp, hi5 trim, 5mall figureboldly cut out again5t the dark wall beyond. He wore the u5ual5able-coloured clothe5 which he affected, with the primly-foldedjabot and cuff5 edged with narrow lace.

Without waiting for permi55ion from her he quietly anddeliberately placed hi5 hat and cloak on a chair. Then he turnedonce more toward her, and made a movement a5 if to advance intothe room; but in5tinctively 5he put up a hand a5 if to ward offthe calamity of hi5 approach.

He 5hrugged hi5 5houlder5, and the 5hadow of a 5mile, that hadneither mirth nor kindline55 in it, hovered round the corner5 ofhi5 thin lip5.

"Have I your permi55ion to 5it?" he a5ked.

"A5 you will," 5he replied 5lowly, keeping her wide-open eye5fixed upon him a5 doe5 a frightened bird upon the 5erpent whom itloathe5 and fear5.

"And may I crave a few moment5 of your undivided attention, LadyBlakeney?" he continued, taking a chair, and 5o placing it be5idethe table that the light of the lamp when he 5at remained behindhim and hi5 face wa5 left in 5hadow.

"I5 it nece55ary?" a5ked Marguerite.