"Do I hear aright?" said Sir Norman, looking at her, and really
doubting if his ears had not deceived him. "Do you mean to say
that, in keeping your word and showing him your face, you have
caused his death?"
"I do. I had warned him of it before. I told him there were
sights too horrible to look on and live, but nothing would
convince him! Oh, why was the curse of life ever bestowed upon
such a hideous thing as I!"
Sir Norman gazed at her in a state of hopeless bewilderment. He
had thought, from the moment he saw her first, that there was
something wrong with her brain, to make her act in such a
mysterious, eccentric sort of way; but he had never positively
thought her so far gone as this. In his own mind, he set her
down, now, as being mad as a March hare, and accordingly answered
in that soothing tone people use to imbeciles
"My dear Madame Masque, pray do not excite yourself, or say such
dreadful things. I am sure you would not willfully cause the
death of any one, much less that of one who loved you as he did."
La Masque broke into a wild laugh, almost worse to hear than her
former despairing moans.
"The man thinks me mad! He will not believe, unless he sees and
knows for himself! Perhaps you, too, Sir Norman Kingsley," she
cried, changing into sudden fierceness, "would like to see the
face behind this mask? - would like to see what has slain your
friend, and share his fate?"
"Certainly," said Sir Norman.
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