be brought low, never
be dragged to the level of Versailles or the Chateau Bigot--never!"

She looked at me with such dignity and pride that my eyes filled with
tears, and, not to be stayed, I reached out and took her hands, and
would have clasped her to my breast, but she held back from me.

"You believe in me, Robert?" she said most earnestly. "You will never
doubt me? You know that I am true and loyal."

"I believe in God, and you," I answered reverently, and I took her in my
arms and kissed her. I did not care at all whether or no Gabord saw; but
indeed he did not, as Alixe told me afterwards, for, womanlike, even in
this sweet crisis she had an eye for such details.

"What more did he say?" I asked, my heart beating hard in the joy of
that embrace.

"No more, or little more, for my mother came that instant and brought me
to talk with the Chevalier de la Darante, who wished to ask me for
next summer to Kamaraska or Isle aux Coudres, where he has manorhouses.
Before I left Monsieur Doltaire, he said, 'I never made a promise but
I wished to break it. This one shall balance all I've broken, for I'll
never unwish it.'

"My mother heard this, and so I summoned all my will, and said gaily,
'Poor broken crockery! You stand a tower among the ruins.' This pleased
him, and he answered, 'On the tower base is written, This crockery
outserves all others.' My mother looked sharply at me, but said nothing,
for she has come to think that I am heartless and cold to men and to the
world, selfish in many things."

At this moment Gabord turned round, saying, "'Tis time to be done.
Madame comes."

"It is my mother," said Alixe, standing up, and hastily placing her
hands in mine. "I must be gone. Good-bye, good-bye."

There was no chance for further adieu, and I saw her pass out with
Gabord; but she turned at the last, and said in English, for she spoke
it fairly now, "Believe, and remember."

XIV. ARGAND COURNAL.
The most meagre intelligence came to me from the outer world. I no
longer saw Gabord; he had suddenly been with drawn and a new jailer
substituted, and the sentinels outside my door and beneath the window
of my cell refused all information. For months I had no news whatever of
Alixe or of those affairs nearest my heart. I heard nothing of Doltaire,
little of Bigot, and there was no sign of Voban.

Sometimes I could see my new jailer studying me, if my plans were a
puzzle to his brain. At first he used regu