Pavannes took his sword, and placed it under his arm.

We both bowed ceremoniously to Pallavicini, who scowled in response; and slowly, for I was afraid to show any signs of haste, we walked across the moonlit space to the bottom of the street by which I had come.

There the gloom swallowed us up at once.
Pavannes touched my sleeve and stopped in the darkness.
"I beg to be allowed to thank you for your aid," he said with emotion, turning and facing me.

"Whom have I the honour of addressing ?" "M.

Anne de Caylus, a friend of your cousin," I replied.
"Indeed ?" he said "well, I thank you most heartily," and we embraced with warmth.
"But I could have done little," I answered modestly, "on your behalf, if it had not been for this ring." "And the virtue of the ring lies in--" "In--I am sure I cannot say in what!" I confessed.