She could not fully comprehend the tragedy.

Her ladies wailed about her, but she heeded them not.

It was only when the captain of the military household approached her that she became fully aroused.

She pressed her hand against her madly beating heart.
[Illustration: She pressed her hands against her madly beating heart.] "Who did this ?" she asked.
"A man in a mask, Madame," replied the captain, kneeling.

He gently loosed the sword from the stiffening fingers.