CHAPTER IV

_MADAME DE LA ROUGIERRE_


On a sudden, on the grass before me, stood an odd figure--a very tall woman
in grey draperies, nearly white under the moon, courtesying extraordinarily
low, and rather fantastically.

I stared in something like a horror upon the large and rather hollow
features which I did not know, smiling very unpleasantly on me; and the
moment it was plain that I saw her, the grey woman began gobbling
and cackling shrilly--I could not distinctly hear _what_ through the
window--and gesticulating oddly with her long hands and arms.

As she drew near the window, I flew to the fireplace, and rang the bell
frantically, and seeing her still there, and fearing that she might break
into the room, I flew out of the door, very much frightened, and met
Branston the butler in the lobby.

'There's a woman at the window!' I gasped; 'turn her away, please.'

If I had said a man, I suppose fat Branston would have summoned and sent
forward a detachment of footmen. As it was, he bowed gravely, with a--

'Yes,'m--shall,'m.'

And with an air of authority approached the window.