it was an immense cat, distorted in some way by the play of light and
shadow. Then it rose straight up before him and he saw that it was the
proprietress.

What she had been doing in this position he could only venture a
dreadful guess, but the moment she stood up and faced him he was aware
of some terrible dignity clothing her about that instantly recalled the
girl's strange saying that she was a queen. Huge and sinister she stood
there under the little oil lamp; alone with him in the empty hall. Awe
stirred in his heart, and the roots of some ancient fear. He felt that
he must bow to her and make some kind of obeisance. The impulse was
fierce and irresistible, as of long habit. He glanced quickly about him.
There was no one there. Then he deliberately inclined his head toward
her. He bowed.

"Enfin! M'sieur s'est donc décidé. C'est bien alors. J'en suis
contente."

Her words came to him sonorously as through a great open space.

Then the great figure came suddenly across the flagged hall at him and
seized his trembling hands. Some overpowering force moved with her and
caught him.

"On pourrait faire un p'tit tour ensemble, n'est-ce pas? Nous y allons
cette nuit et il faut s'exercer un peu d'avance pour cela. Ilsé, Ilsé,
viens donc ici. Viens vite!"

And she whirled him round in the opening steps of some dance that seemed
oddly and horribly familiar. They made no sound on the stones, this