Prince Zilah - Volume 3 (Paperback)

Excerpt: ... there were mingled love, pity, and anger. When the Tzigana reached him, and nearly ran into him in her slow walk, she stopped suddenly, like an automaton. The instinct of an obstacle before her arrested her, and she stood still, neither recoiling nor advancing. A few steps away, Dr. Fargeas and Dr. Sims studied her stony look, in which there was as yet neither thought nor vision. Still enveloped in her stupor, she stood there, her eyes riveted upon Andras. Suddenly, as if an invisible knife had been plunged into her heart, she started back. Her pale marble face became transfigured, and an expression of wild terror swept across her features; shaking with a nervous trembling, she tried to call out, and a shrill cry, which rent the air, burst from her lips, half open, like those of a tragic mask. Her two arms were stretched out with the hands clasped; and, falling upon her knees, she-whose light of reason had been extinguished, who for so many days had only murmured the sad, singing refrain: "I do not know; I do not know "-faltered, in a voice broken with sobs: "Forgive Forgive " Then her face became livid, and she would have fallen back unconscious if Zilah had not stooped over and caught her in his arms. Dr. Sims hastened forward, and, aided by the nurse, relieved him of his burden. Poor Vogotzine was as purple as if he had had a stroke of apoplexy. "But, gentlemen," said the Prince, his eyes burning with hot tears, "it will be horrible if we have killed her " "No, no," responded Fargeas; "we have only killed her stupor. Now leave her to us. Am I not right, my dear Sims? She can and must be cured " CHAPTER XXIX "LET THE DEAD PAST BURY ITS DEAD" Prince Andras had heard no news of Varhely for a long time. He only knew that the Count was in Vienna. Yanski had told the truth when he said that he had been summoned away by his friend, Angelo Valla. They were very much astonished, at the Austrian ministry of foreign affairs, to see Count Yanski...