The baron, becoming aware of this state of things, said to them, “Mesdemoiselles, I perceive that you are very weary, and I wish with all my heart that I could offer you each a luxurious bed-chamber; but my house, like my family, has fallen into decay, and I can only give to you and Madame my own room.  Fortunately the bed is very large, and you must make yourselves as comfortable as you can—­for a single night you will not mind.  As to the gentlemen, I must ask them to remain here with me, and try to sleep in the arm-chairs before the fire.  I pray you, ladies, do not allow yourselves to be startled by the waving of the tapestry-which is only due to the strong draughts about the room on a stormy night like this—­the moaning of the wind in the chimney, or the wild scurrying and squeaking of the mice behind the wainscot.  I can guarantee that no ghosts will disturb you here, though this place does look dreary and dismal enough to be haunted.”

“I am not a bit of a coward,” answered Serafina laughingly, “and will do my best to reassure this timid little Isabelle.  As to our duenna,—­she is something of a sorceress herself, and if the devil in person should make his appearance he would meet his match in her.”

The baron then took a light in his hand and showed the three ladies the way into the bed-chamber, which certainly did strike them rather unpleasantly at first sight, and looked very eerie in the dim, flickering light of the one small lamp.

“What a capital scene it would make for the fifth act of a tragedy,” said Serafina, as she looked curiously about her, while poor little Isabelle shivered with cold and terror.  They all crept into bed without undressing, Isabelle begging to lie between Serafina and Mme. Leonarde, for she felt nervous and frightened.  The other two fell asleep at once, but the timid young girl lay long awake, gazing with wide-open, straining eyes at the door that led into the shut-up apartments beyond, as if she dreaded its opening to admit some unknown horror.  But it remained fast shut, and though all sorts of mysterious noises made her poor little heart flutter painfully, her eyelids closed at last, and she forgot her weariness and her fears in profound slumber.

In the other room the pedant slept soundly, with his head on the table, and the tyrant opposite to him snored like a giant.  Matamore had rolled himself up in a cloak and made himself as comfortable as possible under the circumstances in a large arm-chair, with his long, thin legs extended at full length, and his feet on the fender.  Leander slept sitting bolt upright, so as not to disarrange his carefully brushed hair, and de Sigognac, who had taken possession of a vacant arm-chair, was too much agitated and excited by the events of the evening to be able to close his eyes.  The coming of two beautiful, young women thus suddenly into his life—­which had been hitherto so isolated, sad and dreary, entirely devoid