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"That," low and mysteriously replied the count, "that can be decided

only by the will of her who has sent me Until that decision no hair of

her head can be touched, and the princess will follow me to Russia, only

with her own free will! But you must know that the empress hates no one

more than her own son How, then, if she should be disposed to pass him

over, and select another as her successor?"

"Oh, would to God that I rightly understand you!" exclaimed Cecil

"We shall, one day, perfectly understand each other," said the count,

with a significant smile "Now, hasten to redeem your word, and leave

Rome with your master!"

As soon as Cecil left the room, the count's face assuh he threw himself upon the silken

divan

"Thus are all these so-called good men real blockheads, stupid fools,

who believe every word spoken to them with a friendly hly-prized ments of the order for his arrest Worthy

dunce; as if there were no duplicate, and as if every proned by the Divinity himself! Go home with your count--my word