was, could not but
acknowledge to herself that further physical resistance then would
be worse than useless, and determined to spare herself at least such
indignities as she was at that moment threatened with; so, without
vouchsafing a word to her attendant, she threw herself back into the
corner of the carriage, closed her eyes, and tried to keep perfectly
still. But in spite of her utmost endeavours she could not altogether
repress an occasional sob, nor hold back the great tears that welled
forth from under her drooping eyelids and rolled down over her pale
cheeks, as she thought of de Sigognac's despair and her own danger.

"After the nervous excitement comes the moist stage;" said her masked
guardian to himself, "things are following their usual and natural
course. I am very glad of it, for I should have greatly disliked to be
obliged to act a brutal part with such a sweet, charming girl as this."

Now and then Isabelle opened her eyes and cast a timid glance at her
abductor, who finally said to her, in a voice he vainly strove to render
soft and mild:

"You need not be afraid of me, mademoiselle! I would not harm you in any
way for the world. If fortune had been more generous to me I certainly
would never have undertaken this enterprise against such a lovely,
gentle young lady as you are; but poor men like me are driven to all
sorts of expedients to earn a little money; they have to take whatever
comes within their reach, and sacrifice their scruples to their
necessities."

"You do admit then," said Isabelle vehemently, "that you have been
bribed to carry me off? An infamous, cruel, outrageous thing it is."

"After what I have had to do," he replied, "it would be idle to deny it.
There are a good many philosophers like myself in Paris, mademoiselle,
who, instead of indulging in love affairs, and intrigues of various
sorts, of their own, interest themselves in those of other people, and,
for a consideration, make use of their courage, ingenuity and strength
to further them. But to change the subject, how charming you were in
that last new play! You went through the scene of the avowal with a
grace I have never seen equalled. I applauded you to the echo; the pair
of hands that kept it up so perseveringly and vigorously, you know,
belonged to me."

"I beg you to dispense with these ill-judged remarks and compliments,
and to tell me where you are taking me, in this strange, outrageous
manner, against my will, a