en seemed tongue-tied. The minister's fluency was
gone; he was very pale, and it was Bigot who in the end spoke for both.
He stepped forward, and, kneeling, kissed her cold hand.

"My lady," he said, "you have gained all, and lost nothing. Blessed be
God!"

"Blessed be God!" the minister wept. And from the passage without came
the sound of laughter and weeping and many voices, with a flutter of
lights and flying skirts, and women's feet.

She stared at him wildly, doubtfully, her hand at her throat.

"What?" she said, "he is not dead--M. de Tignonville?"

"No, he is alive," La Tribe answered, "he is alive." And he lifted up
his hands as if he gave thanks.

"Alive?" she cried. "Alive! Oh, Heaven is merciful. You are sure? You
are sure?"

"Sure, Madame, sure. He was not in their hands. He was dismounted in
the first shock, it seems, and, coming to himself after a time, crept
away and reached St. Gilles, and came hither in a boat. But the enemy
learned that he had not entered with us, and of this the priest wove his
snare. Blessed be God, who put it into your heart to escape it!"

The Countess stood motionless, and with closed eyes pressed her hands to
her temples. Once she swayed as if she would fall her length, and Bigot
sprang forward to support and save her. But she opened her eyes at that,
sighed very deeply, and seemed to recover herself.

"You are sure?" she said faintly. "It is no trick?"

"No, Madame, it is no trick," La Tribe answered. "M. de Tignonville is
alive, and here."

"Here!" She started at the word. The colour fluttered in her cheek.
"But the keys," she murmured. And she passed her hand across her brow.
"I thought--that I had them."

"He has not entered," the minister answered, "for that reason. He is
waiting at the postern, where he landed. He came, hoping to be of use to
you."

She paused a moment, and when she spoke again her aspect had undergone a
subtle change. Her head was high, a flush had risen to her cheeks, her
eyes were bright.

"Then," she said, addressing La Tribe, "do you, Monsieur, go to him, and
pray him in my name to retire to St. Gilles, if he can do so without
peril. He has no place here--now; and if he can go safely to his home it
will be well that he do so. Add, if you please, that Madame de Tavannes
thanks him for his offer of aid, but in her husband's house she needs no
other protection."

Bigot's eyes sparkled with joy.

The minister he