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In the middle of the room was an ottoman, on which Hermance deposited me; after which she slid back ten or twelve wardrobe doors, one after the other. Dresses upon dresses! I should never be able to tell how many. All were hung in the air by silk tape on big triangles. Hermance, however, seemed much embarrassed. "In the reserve," she murmured, "in the reserve; that is easy to say.
Then they were brought to the lists, and Sir Palomides came into the place and said thus: Be ye the two brethren, Helius and Helake, that slew your king and lord, Sir Hermance, by felony and treason, for whom that I am come hither to revenge his death?
I might risk transition dresses. Do you know what I mean by that, Hermance transition dresses?" "Perfectly, madame pearl grays, mauves, violets, lilacs." "Yes, that's it, Hermance; light but quiet colors. You are an invaluable maid. You understand me perfectly." The little baroness started for Versailles with a collection of transition dresses. There must have been twenty.
Wait a minute, till I see the effect of the butterfly in the back. Bring the lamp nearer; nearer yet. Yes, that's it. Ah, how pretty it is! I am enchanted with this dress, Hermance really enchanted!" If the little baroness was enchanted with me, I was equally enchanted with the baroness. We two made the most tender, the most intimate, and the most united of families.
But where is there any room? And this one needs a lot." At last Hermance, after having given a number of little taps to the right and left, succeeded in making a sort of slit, into which I had great difficulty in sliding. Hermance gave me and my neighbors some more little taps to lump us together, and then shut the door. Darkness reigned.
"Dark dresses, Hermance," she said, "black dresses. I know! What remains of Aunt Pauline's mourning? There must remain quite a lot of things. You see, I am too sad " "But if madame expects to remain long in England?" "Ah! as long as the Republic lasts." "Then it may be a long time." "What do you mean a long time? What do you mean, Hermance? Who can tell you such things?"
"I beg your pardon, Hermance, I have dark dresses this one and that one. The blue velvet dress! The blue velvet dress is just the thing, and I've never worn it." And so my neighbor the blue dress was taken down, and was at last going to make her first appearance in the world. However, the little baroness herself, with great activity, rummaged round in the wardrobes.
I suppose it is there that she locks up her victims." "But the carriage that conveys the dead bodies?" "The stables of the asylum are quite close to the cottage. There's a horse and carriage there for station work. Hermance no doubt gets up at night, harnesses the horse and slips the body through the window." "And the nurse who watches her?" "Felicienne is very old and rather deaf."
The first of these facts dates a few years back, to a morning when my old nurse for the first time found Hermance fast asleep. Now she was holding her hands clutched around a puppy which she had strangled. And the same thing was repeated on three other occasions." "And she slept?" "Yes, each time she slept a sleep which lasted for several nights." "And what conclusion did you draw?"
And therewith Sir Tristram took the letter out of the knight's hand, and it said thus: Hermance, king and lord of the Red City, I send unto all knights errant, recommending unto you noble knights of Arthur's court.
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