Clementina

Therefore she waited in patience. It was still winter at Innspruck,

though the calendar declared it to be spring. April was budless and

cold, a month of storms; the snow drifted deep along the streets and M.

Chateaudoux was much inconvenienced during his promenades in the

afternoon. He would come back with most reproachful eyes for Clementina

in that she so stubbornly clung to her vagabond exile and refused so

fine a match as the Prince of Baden. On the afternoon of the 25th,

however, Clementina read more than reproach in his eyes, more than

discomfort in the agitation of his manner. The little chamberlain was

afraid.

Clementina guessed the reason of his fear.

"He has come!" she cried. The exultation of her voice, the deep breath

she drew, the rush of blood to her face, and the sudden dancing light in

her eyes showed how much constraint she had set upon herself. She was

like an ember blown to a flame. "You were stopped in your walk. You have

a message for me. He has come!"

The height of her joy was the depth of Chateaudoux's regret.

"I was stopped in my walk," said he, "but not by the Chevalier Wogan.

Who it was I do not know."

"Can you not guess?" cried Clementina.

"I would not trust a stranger," said her mother.

"Would you not?" asked Clementina, with a smile. "Describe him to me."

"His face was wrinkled," said Chateaudoux.

"It was disguised."

"His figure was slight and not over-tall."

M. Chateaudoux gave a fairly accurate description of Gaydon.

"I know no one whom the portrait fits," said the mother, and again

Clementina cried,-"Can you not guess? Then, mother, I will punish you. For though I

know--in very truth, I know--I will not tell you." She turned back to

Chateaudoux. "Well, his message? He did fix a time, a day, an hour, for

my escape?"

"The 27th is the day, and at eight o'clock of the night."

"I will be ready."

"He will come here to fetch your Highness. Meanwhile he prays your

Highness to fall sick and keep your bed."

"I can choose my malady," said Clementina. "It will not all be

counterfeit, for indeed I shall fall sick of joy. But why must I fall

sick?"

"He brings a woman to take your place, who, lying in bed with the

curtains drawn, will the later be discovered."