"You shall see."
She was looking down into the plague-pit, standing so close to its
cracking edge, that Sir Norman's blood ran cold, in the momentary
expectation to see her slip and fall headlong in. Her voice was less
fierce and less wild, but her hands were still clasped tightly over her
heart, as if to ease the unutterable pain there. Suddenly, she looked
up, and said, in an altered tone: "You have lost Leoline?"
"And found her again. She is in the power of one Count L'Estrange."
"And if in his power, pray, how have you found her?"
"Because we are both to meet in her presence within this very hour, and
she is to decide between us."
"Has Count L'Estrange promised you this?"
"He has."
"And you have no doubt what her decision will be?"
"Not the slightest."
"How came you to know she was carried off by this count?"
"He confessed it himself."
"Voluntarily?"
"No; I taxed him with it, and he owned to the deed; but he voluntarily
promised to take me to her and abide by her decision."
"Extraordinary!" said La Masque, as if to herself. "Whimsical as he is,
I scarcely expected he would give her up no easily as this."
"Then you know him, madame?" said Sir Norman, pointedly.
"There are few things I do not know, and rare are the disguises I cannot
penetrate. So you have discovered it, too?"
"No, madame, my eyes were not sharp enough, nor had I sufficient
cleverness, even, for that. It was Hubert, the Earl of Rochester's page,
who told me who he was."
"Ah, the page!" said La Masque, quickly. "You have then been speaking to
him? What do you think of his resemblance to Leoline?"
"I think it is the most astonishing resemblance I ever saw. But he is
not the only one who bears Leoline's face."
"And the other is?"
"The other is she whom you sent me to see in the old ruins. Madame, I
wish you would tell me the secret of this wonderful likeness; for I am
certain you know, and I am equally certain it is not accidental."
"You are right. Leoline knows already; for, with the presentiment that
my end was near, I visited her when you left, and gave her her whole
history, in writing. The explanation is simple enough. Leoline, Miranda,
and Hubert, are sisters and brother."
Some misty idea that such was the case had been struggling through Sir
Norman's slow mind, unformed and without shape, ever since he had seen
the trio, therefore he was not the least astonished when he heard the
fact announced. Only in one thing he was a little disappointed.
"Then Hubert is really a boy?" he said, half dejectedly.