The strain retreated, its sound waxed fainter and was soon gone; my ear prepared to repose on the absolute hush of midnight once more.No.What murmur was that which, low, and yet near and approaching nearer, frustrated the expectation of total silence?
It was some one conversing--yes, evidently, an audible, though subdued voice spoke in the garden immediately below me.

Another answered; the first voice was that of a man, the second that of a woman; and a man and a woman I saw coming slowly down the alley.

Their forms were at first in shade, I could but discern a dusk outline of each, but a ray of moonlight met them at the termination of the walk, when they were under my very nose, and revealed very plainly, very unequivocally, Mdlle.

Zoraide Reuter, arm-in-arm, or hand-in-hand (I forget which) with my principal, confidant, and counsellor, M.Francois Pelet.

And M.Pelet was saying-- "A quand donc le jour des noces, ma bien-aimee ?" And Mdlle.