had known what was in your mind! Then you did not mean
to go to the convent?"

"I meant to go toward the convent. It is further away than I allowed you
to suppose. I felt--I know not why--that death would meet me on the way.
I felt in my heart a promise that God would do me that kindness. At
first I had no idea of what form my deliverer would take. Perhaps, I
thought, I might be permitted to lose my way in the forest and die of
hunger, or perhaps I might encounter some wild beast, or a storm might
arise and cause me to be struck by lightning or a falling bough, or I
might be so chilled and weakened by rain that I must needs lie down and
die. I knew not what shape,--all I felt was, that it waited for me in
the forest. And when the gentleman spoke of robbers, I rejoiced, for it
seemed to confirm my belief."

"And that is why you would not let me come with you?"

"Yes, certainly; that you might not be present to drive death away from
me, or meet it with me. I hoped you would go on to Paris, thinking me
safe, and that you would soon forget me. You see how I desire you to
live, and how you can please me only by doing so."

"And so, when you were at last in the forest--?"

"At last in the forest, yes--I knew not how long I should have to ride,
but I made no haste,--sooner or later it would come, I thought. The
birds hopping about on the branches seemed to be saying to one another,
'See this lady who has come to meet death.' I crossed a glade, and
something seemed to whisper to my heart, 'Yonder it lies waiting, yonder
in the shades beyond that little stream.' So I went on, and true enough,
before I had gone far, five or six rough men sprang out from the bushes.
Two caught my reins, and one raised a weapon of some kind and bade me
deliver up my purse. I had no purse to deliver, and I feared they might
let me go as not worth their trouble. Then I thought they might hold me
for ransom, or rob me of my clothes, and discover I was a woman. Surely
I was justified in resisting such a fate; so I drew the sword you gave
me, and made a pass at the man with the weapon. He struck instantly,
before I could turn my head aside, and I had time only for a flash of
joy that God had indeed granted me deliverance. I scarce felt the blow,
and then all went out in darkness. I knew nothing after. How did I come
here? This is not the place where I met the robbers."

"It is very strange," said I. "This is where I found you, only a little
while