They stood face to face. Arsene was astounded. He murmured,
involuntarily:
"You--you--mademoiselle."
It was Miss Nelly. Miss Nelly! his fellow passenger on the
transatlantic steamer, who had been the subject of his dreams on
that memorable voyage, who had been a witness to his arrest, and
who, rather than betray him, had dropped into the water the kodak
in which he had concealed the bank-notes and diamonds. Miss Nelly!
that charming creature, the memory of whose face had sometimes
sheered, sometimes saddened the long hours of imprisonment.
It was such an unexpected encounter that brought them face to face
in that castle at that hour of the night, that they could not move,
nor utter a word; they were amazed, hypnotized, each at the sudden
apparition of the other. Trembling with emotion, Miss Nelly
staggered to a seat. He remained standing in front of her.
Gradually, he realized the situation and conceived the impression
he must have produced at that moment with his arms laden with
knick-knacks, and his pockets and a linen sack overflowing with
plunder. He was overcome with confusion, and he actually blushed
to find himself in the position of a thief caught in the act.
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