"
The nature of the answer, and the composed demeanor of Maso, produced an
embarrassing pause.
"Let the two stand forth and be confronted," said the puzzled clavier at
length; "nature often reveals the truth when the uttermost powers of man
are at fault--if either is the true child of the prince, we should find
some resemblance to the father to support his claim."
The test, though of doubtful virtue, was eagerly adopted, for the truth
had now become so involved, as to excite a keen interest in all present.
The desire to explain the mystery was general, and the slightest means of
attaining such an end became of a value proportionate to the difficulty
of effecting the object. Sigismund and Maso were placed beneath the lamp,
where its light was strongest, and every eye turned eagerly to their
countenances, in order to discover, or to fancy it discovered, some of
those secret signs by which the mysterious affinities of nature are to be
traced. A more puzzling examination could not well have been essayed.
There was proof to give the victory to each of the pretenders, if such a
term may be used with propriety as it concerns the passive Sigismund, and
much to defeat the claims of the latter.
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