It fell with a dull, heavy sound which seemed to Norbert like the roar of an earthquake.

The violent emotions which he had endured had ended by acting on his brain, and, snatching up the spade which his late antagonist had used with so unpracticed a hand, shovelled the earth upon the body, flattened down the ground, and finally covered it with straw and dead leaves.
"And this is the end of a man who wronged a Champdoce; yes, his life has paid the penalty of his deed." All at once, a few paces off, in the deep shadow of the trees, he thought that he detected the outline of a human head with a pair of glittering eyes fixed upon him.

The shock was so terrible that for an instant he stopped and nearly fell, but he quickly recovered himself, and, snatching up his blood-stained sword, he dashed to the spot where he fancied he had seen this terrible witness of his deed.
At this rapid movement on the part of the Duke, a figure started up with a faint cry for mercy.

It was a woman.
She fled with inconceivable swiftness towards the house, but he caught her just as she had gained the steps.
"Have mercy on me!" cried she.

"Do not murder me!" He dragged her back to where the lantern was hanging.