Page 163 (1/2)

"The arts used to discover the mystery and make me unmask were

innuan,

after a time, rather to enjoy the sensation I created than otherwise

"There was one, in particular, possessed of evencountess of miraculous beauty,

whoe in Leoline

The Marquis de Montmorenci, of a somewhat inflammable nature, loved her

almost as much as he had done my mother, and she accepted him, and they

were married She may have loved him (I see no reason why she should

not), but still to this day I think it was more to discover the secret

of La Masque than from any other cause I loved my beautiful new h from the day she entered our

house as a bride, until that on which she lay on her deathbed, her whole

aiht, was its discovery There seemed to be a fatality

about my father's wives; for the beautiful Honorine lived scarcely

longer than her predecessor, and she died, leaving three children--all

born at one time--you know them well, and one of them you love To my

care she intrusted them on her deathbed, and she could have scarcely

intrusted theh I liked her, I most decidedly

disliked thee;

and they were named Hubert, Leoline, and Honorine, or, as you knew her,

Miranda Even my father did not seem to care for them much, not even

as much as he cared for me; and when he lay on his deathbed, one year

later, I was left, young as I was, their sole guardian, and trustee of