If that child was drowned, Marie Louise would be FREE; but if I permitted him to perish without a struggle, then would I be guilty of a wicked murder, and a dereliction of duty. Without longer hesitation I flung my sword, belt, and pourpoint upon the terrace, and springing over the rampart, to which Marie Louise was clinging, and looking paler than white marble, I plunged headlong into the lake, and on rising to the surface, struck out boldly for the drowning boy, who had now risen, and sunk thrice. 'Oh, yours is indeed a noble heart!' I heard Marie Louise cry from the wall above me, while, half blinded and suffocated by emotion and exertion, I swam with all my force. I saw another person spring into the lake with a loud halloo; but knew not, until afterwards, that he was Frank Ruthven, of Ramsay's Musketeers, who, being a swimmer more able than I, first reached the spot where the boy had now sunk, and it was fatally near the brink of the cascade, over which, despite all our efforts, the poor victim was swept and drowned. CHAPTER LXXI. THE VISCOUNT'S ADVICE. Succeeding events passed with such rapidity, that I may be pardoned in noting them briefly. Next day, my soldiers found the body of the Duke in the stream below the tower, and bore it into Lutzelstein. Marie Louise, being naturally warm-hearted and affectionate, wept for the poor boy's death, and wreathed a chaplet of white roses for his head when we coffined him; and with every honour that the emergencies of the time, and the slender nature of my garrison would admit, we buried him at a little chapel of St. Nicolas that stood on the mountains, about three miles distant; and there Father Colville said all the necessary prayers. During three or four days after the funeral, I left Marie Louise in undisturbed seclusion, to recover her composure, after the excitement consequent to this (in conventional phraseology) fatal event, which set her _free_; and which, I fear me, I was too selfish to wish undone; though salving my conscience by the reflection that I had left nothing unattempted to save the child who had perished; and from my soul I thanked heaven, that in the first natural impulse of generosity and humanity, I had plunged into the lake, and been the first to attempt his rescue. Without other emotion than tenderness and respect, I had beheld Marie Louise kiss the white brow of the dead child--her spouse--as the poor little fellow lay in the rough coffin my soldiers had fashioned for him. As captain of Lutzelstein I acted chief mourner. So ended this tragedy! I was now, however, less anxious for the arrival of my successor, and hoped that my application might be overlooked by the Marquis, or rejected by Lavalette. So true it is, that we never know the events a day may bring forth!