ed; but he remembered the
history of Dolores which Coursegol had confided to him, and he said to
himself that the adopted daughter of the late Marquis de Chamondrin
would not be likely to marry other than a nobleman, and that this
nobleman must be an implacable enemy to the new order of things, and
consequently one of those men whom the Committee of Public Safety were
so relentlessly pursuing. That such a person should be found in his
house augured ill for his patriotism and might cost him his influence
over Robespierre, so it was necessary to strike a crushing blow if he
wished to emerge from this ordeal unscathed.

"Why have you concealed your marriage from me?" he inquired, turning to
Dolores.

"For purely personal reasons."

"And why does your husband steal into my house like a robber, instead of
entering by the door?"

"Because we wished to keep our marriage a secret."

"All this is not very clear," remarked the sergeant; then addressing
Philip, he demanded:

"What is your name, and from whence do you come?"

And seeing Philip hesitate, the man continued:

"The citizen and this young woman will follow us to the station-house.
They can explain matters to the officials there; and if no blame
attaches to them, they will be immediately set at liberty."

"Yes, yes, take them away," cried Vauquelas, glad of any decision that
would remove the soldiers from his house.

Then Dolores comprehended that the falsehood to which she had resorted
had not only failed to save Philip but had probably cost her her own
life. For herself, she did not care. She had long ago sacrificed for his
sake that which was a thousand times dearer than life; and now her only
regret was for him. But Philip would not accept the sacrifice. When he
saw that both Dolores and himself were to be placed under arrest, he
exclaimed:

"This young girl has uttered a falsehood. She did it, probably, to save
a stranger whom she would have forgotten in a few hours. I am not her
husband, and that I have been found in her room is simply due to the
fact that I took refuge here a few moments ago from a pursuer. I am the
Marquis de Chamondrin. I am an Emigre and a conspirator!"

"Ah, he is lost! he is lost!" murmured Dolores.

On hearing Philip's confession, Vauquelas sprang towards him, wild with
rage.

"You call yourself Philip de Chamondrin?" he demanded.

"That is my name."

"Then you are the adopted brother of this young girl, and if you, an