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"Katharina Katharina; it is Katharina," stammered the trembling woman, looking pleadingly up into his forbidding face. "And why have you come here?" "I came to bring you this," she replied, holding toward him the steel casket. "Where is Marie?" "She is safe with the Marquis d'Avoncourt." "What?" exclaimed Vavel, in amazement, flinging his carbine on the ground. "Cambray d'Avoncourt here?"
When the Marquis d'Avoncourt left the pavilion he was shaking with a violent chill, and as he took his way with tottering steps toward the Nameless Castle, Katharina, broken-hearted and filled with anguish, wept out her heart in bitter tears. Marie had finished practising her lesson, and hastened to join Katharina in the park.
Only the waves, which had been stirred by the tempest, continued to murmur to their favorite who was sleeping peacefully in her grave on the shore. Marie had asked to be buried on the grassy slope by the side of her old friend the Marquis d'Avoncourt, and that no other monument should mark her resting-place save the imperishable tree which turns to stone after it dies.
De Fervlans took up his hat, but turned at the door to say, in a meaning tone: "Marquis d'Avoncourt, we shall forget that you are a prisoner so long as it shall please you to remain obstinate. As for the fugitives, Cythera's Brigade will capture them, sooner or later. Au revoir!" That same night the old nobleman was removed to the prison at Ham.
But there lay the royal manifesto on the table; there was no doubting that. The venture must be made now or never. If only d'Avoncourt were free! How well he would know what to do in this emergency! He seated himself at the table to write to his friends abroad; but he could accomplish nothing; his hand trembled so that he could hardly guide the pen. And why should he tremble?
The Marquis d'Avoncourt, who is now a prisoner in the Castle of Ham, if he is still alive! is the only one besides ourselves who knows of the existence of these things. And now, Katharina, let me beg of you to take good care of them; no matter what happens, do not lose sight of this casket." He locked the casket, and returned the ring to his thumb.
She cast a hasty glance at the miniature, the likeness of her daughter Amélie, then said in a faltering voice: "You may tell the gentleman I will see him." In a few minutes the visitor entered the pavilion. "M. Cambray!" exclaimed the baroness. "Yes, madame; I am Cambray, with my other name, Marquis Richard d'Avoncourt.
"Very well, then," in a harsh tone rejoined De Fervlans. "I will tell you that Cambray the banker may say what is not true; but the nobleman cannot lie. Marquis d'Avoncourt, do you know to what country your friend has flown?" At this question the old gentleman rose from his chair, drew himself up proudly, and gazing defiantly into the eyes of his questioner, replied: "I do."
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