he asks for the captain of
the gendarmerie, follows him into the prison, speaks only to him, and
disappears. Is that not a threatening outlook for our love? Tell me,
Charles!"

As Amelie spoke, a dark cloud spread slowly over her lover's face.

"Amelie," said he, "when my companions and I bound ourselves together,
we did not deceive ourselves as to the risks we ran."

"But, at least," said Amelie, "you have changed your place of refuge;
you have abandoned the Chartreuse of Seillon?"

"None but our dead are there now."

"Is the grotto of Ceyzeriat perfectly safe?"

"As safe as any refuge can be that has two exit."

"The Chartreuse of Seillon had two exits; yet, as you say, you left your
dead there."

"The dead are safer than the living; they are sure not to die on the
scaffold."

Amelie felt a shudder go through her.

"Charles!" she murmured.

"Listen," said the young man. "God is my witness, and you too, that I
have always put laughter and gayety between your presentiments and my
fears; but to-day the aspect of things has changed; we are coming face
to face with the crisis. Whatever the end brings us, it is approaching.
I do not ask of you, my Amelie, those selfish, unreasonable things that
lovers in danger of death exact from their mistresses; I do not ask you
to bind your heart to the dead, your love to a corpse--"

"Friend," said the young girl, laying her hand on his arm, "take care;
you are doubting me."

"No; I do you the highest honor in leaving you free to accomplish the
sacrifice to its full extent; but I do not want you to be bound by an
oath; no tie shall fetter you."

"So be it," said Amelie.

"What I ask of you," continued the young man, "and I ask you to swear
it on our love, which has been, alas! so fatal to you, is this: if I
am arrested and disarmed, if I am imprisoned and condemned to death, I
implore you, Amelie, I exact of you, that in some way you will send me
arms, not only for myself, but for my companions also, so that we may
still be masters of our lives."

"But in such a case, Charles, may I not tell all to my brother? May I
not appeal to his tenderness; to the generosity of the First Consul?"

Before the young girl had finished, her lover seized her violently by
the wrist.

"Amelie," said he, "it is no longer one promise I ask of you, there are
two. Swear to me, in the first place, and above all else, that you will
not solicit my pardon. Swear it, Amelie; swear it!"