not be. You, of all men! No, no. Why, it would be an eternal
barrier between us--in thought and kind feeling, I mean,--in the next
world too. Oh, no; you must not use that paper, nor cause it to be
used."

"But, Madame, he is a traitor. What matters it whether I or another--it
is only justice--my duty to the King."

"But you do not understand. I should not dare even pray for you! And I
must not let you denounce him--I must prevent your using that paper. I
am his wife, Monsieur,--I must prevent. Otherwise, I should be
consenting to my husband's death!"

"He has no scruples about consenting to yours, Madame."

"The sin is on his part, then, not on mine. Come, Monsieur, you must let
me destroy that paper." She advanced toward me.

"No, Madame; not I. Nay, I will use force to keep it, if need be! It is
my one weapon, my one means of vengeance." I tore my wrist from her
hand, and put the paper back into my inner pocket.

"Then, Monsieur, I have said my last to you. I must put you out of my
thoughts, out of my prayers even. And if I find means, I must warn my
husband."

"Listen, Madame. There is one condition upon which I will destroy this
paper and keep silence."

She uttered a joyful cry. I knew that what she thought of was not her
husband's fate, but the barrier she had mentioned.

"It is that you will escape with me at once," I said.

The joy passed out of her face; but she was silent.

"Consider," I went on. "Not merely your own life, not merely mine, not
merely Mathilde's, and the happiness of Hugues: it is in your power to
save your husband's life also, and to save his soul from the crime of
your murder, if there be any degree between act and intent. Is it not a
sin and a folly to refuse? Think of the blood already shed by reason of
this matter. Why should there be more?"

At last she wavered. I turned to Mathilde, to speak of the order in
which we should descend the ladder.

At that instant I heard the key begin to grate in the lock.

"Some one is coming in!" whispered the Countess in alarm.

Instantly I pushed Mathilde upon the couch beneath the window, in a
sitting posture, so that her body would conceal the end of the rope
ladder. The next moment I had pulled the other bed a little way out from
the wall, and was crouching behind it.

The door opened, and I heard the noise of men entering with heavy tread.
Then the door closed. There was a sound of swift movement, then a scream
from Mathilde and