Page:The Vicomte de Bragelonne 2.djvu/28

Rh her other hand to him. This girl was perfectly unknown to him.

made one step toward the girl who thus called him.

"But my horse, madame?" said he.

"Oh! you are terribly embarrassed! Go out that way—there is a shed in the outer court; fasten your horse, and return quickly."

"I obey, madame."

Raoul was not four minutes in performing what he had been directed to do; e returned to the little door, where, in darkness, he found his mysterious conductress waiting for him, on the first steps of a winding staircase.

"Are you brave enough to follow me, Monsieur Knight Errant?" asked the girl, laughing at the momentary hesitation Raoul had manifested.

The latter replied by springing up the dark staircase after her. They thus climbed up three stories, he behind her, touching with his hands, when he felt for the baluster, a silk dress, which rubbed against each side of the staircase. At every false step made by Raoul, his conductress cried, "Hush!" and held out to him a soft and perfumed hand.

"One would mount thus to the donjon of the castle without being conscious of fatigue," said Raoul.

"All of which means, monsieur, that you are very much perplexed, very tired, and very uneasy. But be of good cheer, monsieur; here we are, arrived."

The girl threw open a door, which immediately, without any transition, filled with a flood of light the landing of the staircase, at the top of which Raoul appeared, holding fast by the balustrade.

The girl continued to walk on—he followed her; she entered a chamber—he did the same.

As soon as he was fairly in the net, he heard a loud cry, and, turning round, saw at two paces from him, with her hands clasped and her eyes closed, that beautiful fair girl with blue eyes and white shoulders, who, recognizing him, had called him Raoul.

He saw her, and divined at once so much love and so