"They should be almost here now," observed his Excellency, again seeking to break that spell of constraint, when suddenly she stepped to him. "_Mon père_," her voice sounded strained, unnatural, "it was you who wanted this marriage?" "Yes," he had answered in some surprise; "yes." "And I have not opposed you--the King--" "Opposed? No! Of course not!" "Then," more hurriedly, "must you do something in return for me! I do not want my--the wedding festivities--marred by anything unpleasant! Promise that nothing will happen to him, the Black Seigneur, until after--" "Impossible!" The sudden virulence her unexpected request awoke could not be concealed. "Very well!" Before the anger in his gaze, her own eyes flashed like steel. "In that case, you can send the Marquis back! For I will not see him--to-day, to-morrow or any time again!" Long he looked at her; the white face; the tightly compressed lips; the eyes that would not flinch! They reminded him of another's--were of the same hue--so like, and yet so different! Unlike, in bespeaking a will he could not break! What he said, matters not; his face wore an ashy shade. She did not answer in words; but he felt, with strange bitterness, a revulsion; she seemed almost suddenly to have become hostile to him. Gay voices sounded without; nearer; she walked to a door opposite the entrance their visitors were approaching. An instant, and she would have passed out, when the Governor spoke. But the Marquis, stepping quickly in a few moments later, noted nothing amiss between them. "Your Excellency!" With filial respect he greeted the Governor. "My Lady!" Gaily, approvingly, his eye passed over her; then in that hall dedicated to chivalry, a graceful figure, he sank to his knee; raised a small cold hand, and pressed it to his lips. CHAPTER XXV THE UNDER WORLD A coterie of brilliant folk soon followed in the wake of my lord, the Marquis' retinue; holy-day banners were succeeded by holiday ribbons; the _miserere_ of the multitude by pæans of merriment. Hymen, Io Hymen! In assuming the leading rôle to which circumstances now assigned her, the Governor's daughter brought to the task less energy than she had displayed on that other occasion when visitors had sojourned at the rock. Her manner was changed--first, lukewarm; then, almost indifferent; until, at length, one day she fairly waived the responsibility of planning amusements; laid before them the question: What, now, would they like to do? "Devise a play," said one. "With shepherds and shepherdesses!" The Marquis, however, qualified the suggestion. "A masque! that is very good; but, for this morning--I have been talking with the commandant--and have another proposal--" "Which is?" "To visit the dungeons." "The dungeons?" My lady's face changed. "And incidentally inspect their latest guest! Some of you heard of him when we were here before--_Le Seigneur Noir_--the Black Seigneur!"