“Yes. He turned upon me in panic with such a look in his eyes, a look in which fear, desperation, irresolution, cruelty, and what he would call love were all mingled. Ah! it was horrible. Then he took Telka out of the room, and the suspense of the next few minutes, when I was left alone, was so fearful that I almost fainted with terror. At last the door opened and Telka came back, followed by a wretch named Bleisst——”
“I know. The Count’s head villain.”
“If you know him you will realize what my feelings were at the sight. Then, indeed, I was sure that my last moment had come. My heart almost stopped with terror; oh, it was awful, the thought of having to die like that, there in that horrible place, and just as the hope of life and liberty had come to me. Telka came close up and spoke to me. I was so sick and beside myself with fear that at first I did not comprehend her words. I cried out in my agony for mercy, for the Count—fancy my wishing his presence! The girl spoke again, entreating more plainly, and I understood her then. I was to be removed to a hiding-place in another part of the Monastery, for the Chancellor was to suppose me dead. No harm would befall me unless he discovered my whereabouts; everything would depend upon my keeping quiet and obeying orders. I mistrusted them——”
“Naturally. No other feeling in that place could be possible.”
“No, and Bleisst is the very incarnation of treachery. Still I could only obey. He told me pleasantly he had orders to shoot me on the spot if I resisted. So I went with them, Telka leading the way, Bleisst following me, pistol in hand. I felt like a condemned prisoner on my way to the scaffold, but it was not to be as bad as I feared. We went on for a long while, through dark passages, across vault-like chambers, till at length we ascended to a room on an upper floor. Here Bleisst went to the fire-place and unscrewed one of a row of knobs in the woodwork. Into the hole thus discovered he inserted a key. On turning this the jamb of the mantel revolved, disclosing a narrow aperture just wide enough for a person to pass through. Telka entered this, bidding me follow. I went in and found myself in a small chamber not much larger than this carriage.
“‘You are to stay here till the Chancellor is safely gone,’ Telka said. ‘We shall bring you your meals as usual. It is uncomfortable, but it is necessary, and you have nothing to fear.’
“I had a great deal to fear; my imagination told me that this might be my living grave. What better way to get rid of me than to leave me here to starve and die? The girl went, warning me that any attempt to escape would seal my fate. She is an extraordinary creature, of a nationality unknown even to herself; the daughter of a spy; she seems to have lived everywhere and to know everything. I have always thought she has hated me under her pretence of sympathy. So the door shut upon me and I was left alone with my thoughts; you may fancy how anxious and bitter they were.”
“In the idea that our plan was rendered futile.”
“Yes; I thought of you, and of all your courage, and the danger you had faced, and how they were to go for nothing. But there I was, helpless, well-nigh hopeless again. I would have given anything to have been able to send you a message, but that was impossible. Here was a prison within a prison. I stayed there in darkness for a long while—hours, it seemed; at last the muffled sound of the slowly opening door brought my terrors back to me. It was Telka with a lantern and some refreshments. The sight of this rejoiced me as evidence that the fear of starvation was groundless. I could even eat a morsel and drink some wine.
“‘His Excellency is still here,’ she said. ‘Directly he is well on his way you shall be released.’