before overwhelmed him, and he felt that in all the world he had
no such intimate knowledge of any woman as he had of Ziska. He
knew her! Ah!--how did he NOT know her? Every curve of that pliant
form was to him the living memory of something once possessed and
loved, and he pressed his hand heavily across his eyes for a
moment to shut out the sight of all the exquisite voluptuous grace
which shook his self-control and tempted him almost beyond man's
mortal endurance.

"Are you not well, Monsieur Gervase?" said Dr. Dean, observing him
closely, and handing back the lighted taper to the Egyptian
servant who waited to receive it. "The portraits on this old
carving have perhaps affected you unpleasantly? Yet there is
really nothing of importance in such a coincidence."

"Nothing of importance, perhaps, but surely something of
singularity," interrupted Denzil Murray, "especially in the
resemblance between the Princess and the dancing-girl of that
ancient period,--their features are positively line for line
alike."

The Princess laughed.

"Yes, is it not curious?" she said, and, taking the taper from her
servant, she sprang lightly on one of the benches near the wall
and leaned her beautiful head on the entablature, so that her
profile stood out close against that of the once reputed Ziska-
Charmazel. "We are, as Dr. Dean says, twins!"

Several of the guests had now gathered together in that particular