Otherwise he may confound her with another woman; for in the dark one cannot distinguish even a harlequin from a queen!'-- You have now to decide, my lord, whether this lady remains with you, or whether she goes, and the light shall be put out!" "She shall remain with me, and I very much need the light!" said Earl Surrey; and his penetrating look rested steadily on the veiled figure, which shook at his words, as if in an ague.
"Have you any other wish besides this, my lord ?" "None, save that I may be left alone with her." The lieutenant bowed and left the room.
They wore now alone again, and stood confronting each other in silence.
Naught was heard but the beating of their hearts, and the sighs of anguish that burst from Geraldine's trembling lips.
It was an awful, a terrible pause.

Geraldine would gladly have given her life could she thereby have extinguished the light and veiled herself in impenetrable darkness.
But the earl would see.

With an angry, haughty look, he stepped up to her, and, as with commanding gesture lie raised his arm, Geraldine shuddered and submissively bowed her head.
"Unveil your face!" said he, in a tone of command.

She did not stir.

She murmured a prayer, then raised her clasped hands to Henry and in a low moan, said: "Mercy! mercy!" He extended his hand and seized the veil.
"Mercy!" repeated she, in a voice of still deeper supplication--of still greater distress.
But he was inexorable.