"
"She should have thought of that before she began the dance! It was
none of my choosing, God knows that; but since she is in it, by our
Lady, she shall carry it to the end." And then addressing Denis,
"Monsieur de Beaulieu," he asked, "may I present you to my niece? She
has been waiting your arrival, I may say, with even greater impatience
than myself."
Denis had resigned himself with a good grace--all he desired was to
know the worst of it as speedily as possible; so he rose at once, and
bowed in acquiescence. The Sire de Maletroit followed his example and
limped, with the assistance of the chaplain's arm, toward the chapel
door. The priest pulled aside the arras, and all three entered. The
building had considerable architectural pretensions. A light groining
sprang from six stout columns, and hung down in two rich pendants from
the centre of the vault. The place terminated behind the altar in a
round end, embossed and honeycombed with a superfluity of ornament in
relief, and pierced by many little windows shaped like stars,
trefoils, or wheels. These windows were imperfectly is glazed, so that
the night air circulated freely in the chapel. The tapers, of which
there must have been half a hundred burning on the altar, were
unmercifully blown about; and the light went through many different
phases of brilliancy and semi-eclipse. On the steps in front of the
altar knelt a young girl richly attired as a bride.
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