In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy

  CHAPTER XI

  Marie and Victor

  "Are you taking me to the girls, Harry?"

  "No," Harry said. "It would not be safe to do so. There are alreadysuspicions, and they have been denounced."

  Marie gave a cry of alarm.

  "I have managed to suppress the document, Marie, and we start withthem in a day or two. Still it will be better for you not to gonear them. I will arrange for you to meet them to-morrow."

  "Where am I going, then?"

  "You are going to the house of a worthy couple, who have shownthemselves faithful and trustworthy by nursing a friend of mine,who has for nearly six months been lying ill there. You will beperfectly safe there till we can arrange matters."

  "But if Robespierre has signed my release, as they said, I am safeenough, surely, and can go where I like."

  "I think you will be safe from re-arrest here in Paris, Marie, becauseyou could appeal to him; but outside Paris it might be different.However, we can talk about that to-morrow, when you have had a goodnight's rest."

  Harry did not think it necessary to say, that when Lebat was missedit would probably be ascertained that he was last seen leaving LaForce with her, and that if inquiries were set on foot about himshe might be sought for. However, Marie said no more on the subject,quite content that Harry should make whatever arrangements hethought best, and she now began to ask all sorts of questions abouther sisters, and so passed the time until they were close to thePlace de Carrousel; then Harry called Jacques to stop.

  "Will you please get out, Marie, and wait with our good friend heretill I return. I shall be back in five minutes. I have to hand thecoach over to its owner."

  Jacques threw Lebat's clothes over his arm and got down from thebox. Harry took his seat and drove into the Place, where he foundthe coachman awaiting him.

  "Have you managed the job?"

  "That we have," Harry said. "He has a lesson, and Isabel has goneoff to her friends again. Poor little girl, I hope it will cure herof her flightiness. Here is your cape and your money, my friend,and thank you."

  "You are heartily welcome," the driver said, mounting his box. "Iwish I could do as well every day; but these are bad times for us,and money is precious scarce, I can tell you."

  Harry soon rejoined Jacques and Marie. There were but few words saidas they made their way through the streets, for Marie was weakenedby her long imprisonment, and shaken by what she had gone through.She had not asked a single question as to what had become of Lebat;but she had no doubt that he was killed. She had grown, however,almost indifferent to death. Day after day she had seen batchesof her friends taken out to execution, and the retribution whichhad fallen upon this wretch gave her scarcely a thought, except afeeling of thankfulness that she was freed from his persecutions.Completely as she trusted Harry, it was with the greatest difficultythat she had brought herself to obey his instructions and to placeherself for a moment in the power of her persecutor, and appear togo with him willingly.

  When Lebat told her triumphantly that he had saved her from death,and that she was to have formed one of the party in the tumbrilon the following morning had he not obtained her release, she haddifficulty in keeping back the indignant words, that she would havepreferred death a thousand times. When he said that he had come totake her away, she had looked round with a terrified face, as ifto claim the protection of the guards; but he had said roughly:

  "It is no use your objecting, you have got to go with me; andif you are a wise woman you had better make the best of it. Afterall I am not very terrible, and you had better marry me than theguillotine."

  So, trembling with loathing and disgust, she had followed him,resolved that if Harry's plan to rescue her failed she would killherself rather than be the wife of this man.

  When they reached the house Elise opened the door.

  "So you have come, poor lamb!" she said. "Thanks to the good Godthat all has turned out well. You will be safe here, my child. Weare rough people, but we will take care of you as if you were ourown."

  So saying she led the girl to the little sitting-room which theyhad prepared for her, for they had that afternoon taken the othertwo rooms on the floor they occupied, which were fortunately tolet, and had fitted them up as a bed-room and sitting-room for her.There was already a communication existing between the two setsof apartments, and they had only to remove some brickwork betweenthe double doors to throw them into one suite. Telling Marie tosit down, Elise hurried off and returned with a basin of bouillon.

  "Drink this, my dear, and then go straight to bed; your friend willbe here in good time in the morning, and then you can talk overmatters with him." She waited to see Marie drink the broth, andthen helped her to undress.

  "She will be asleep in five minutes," she said when she rejoinedher husband and Harry. "She is worn out with excitement, but anight's rest will do wonders for her. Don't come too early in themorning, Monsieur Sandwith; she is sure to sleep late, and I wouldnot disturb her till she wakes of herself."

  "I will be here at nine," Harry said, "and will go round beforethat and tell her sisters. They will be wondering they have seennothing of me to-day, but I was afraid to tell them until it wasall over. The anxiety would have been too great for them."

  It was fortunate that Robespierre went out early on the followingmorning to attend a meeting at the Jacobins, and Harry was thereforesaved the necessity for asking leave to absent himself again. Ateight o'clock he was at Louise Moulin's.

  "What is it, Harry?" Jeanne exclaimed as he entered. "I can seeyou have news. What is it?"

  "I have news," Harry said, "and good news, but you must not exciteyourselves."

  "Have you found a way for getting Marie out?"

  "Yes, I have found a way."

  "A sure, certain way, Harry?" Virginie asked. "Not only a chance?"

  "A sure, certain way," Harry replied. "You need have no more fear;Marie will certainly be freed."

  The two girls stood speechless with delight. It never occurred tothem to doubt Harry's words when he spoke so confidently.

  "Have you told us all, Harry?" Jeanne asked a minute later, lookingearnestly in his face. "Can it be? Is she really out already?"

  "Yes," Harry said, "thank God, dears, your sister is free."

  With a cry of delight Virginie sprang to him, and throwing herarms round his neck, kissed him in the exuberance of her happiness.Louise threw her apron over her head and burst into tears ofthankfulness, while Jeanne put her hand on his shoulder and said:

  "Oh, Harry, how can we ever thank you enough for all you have donefor us?"

  Six months back Jeanne would probably have acted as Virginie did,but those six months had changed her greatly; indeed, ever sinceshe received that note from Marie, which she had never shown evento Virginie, there had been a shade of difference in her manner toHarry, which he had more than once noticed and wondered at.

  It was some little time before the girls were sufficiently composedto listen to Harry's story.

  "But why did you not bring her here, Harry?" Virginie asked. "Whydid you take her somewhere else?"

  "For several reasons, Virginie. I have not told you before, but thereis no reason why you should not know now, that Victor is still inParis."

  Virginie uttered an exclamation of wonder.

  "He stopped here to look after you all, but he has had a very badillness, and is still terribly weak, and does not even know me.Marie will nurse him. I have great hopes that he will know her,and that she may be able in time to effect a complete cure. In thenext place I think it would be dangerous to bring her here, for wemust leave in a very few days."

  "What, go without her?"

  "Yes, I am afraid so, Virginie. I have learned, Louise, thatsome of your neighbours have their suspicions, and that a letterof denunciation has already been sent, so it will be absolutelynecessary to make a move. I have suppressed the first letter, butthe writer will probably not let the matter drop, and may write toDanton or Marat next time,
so we must go without delay. You cannotchange your lodging, for they would certainly trace you; besides,at the present time the regulations about lodgers are so strict thatno one would dare receive you until the committee of the districthave examined you and are perfectly satisfied. Therefore, I thinkwe must go alone. Marie is wanted here, and I think she will befar safer nursing Victor than she would be with us; besides, nowshe has been freed by Robespierre's orders, I do not think thereis any fear of her arrest even if her identity were discovered.Lastly, it would be safer to travel three than four. Three girlstravelling with a young fellow like me would be sure to attractattention. It will be difficult enough in any case, but it wouldcertainly be worse with her with us."

  "But we are to see her, Harry?" Jeanne said. "Surely we are not togo away without seeing Marie!"

  "Certainly not, Jeanne; I am not so cruel as that. This evening,after dark, we will meet in the gardens of the Tuileries. Louise,will you bring them down and be with them near the main entrance?I will bring Marie there at six o'clock. And now I must be off; Ihave to break the news to Marie that Victor is in the same housewith her and ill. I did not tell her last night. She will be betterable to bear it after a good night's sleep."

  Marie was up and dressed when Harry arrived, and was sitting bythe fire in the little kitchen.

  "I have just left your sisters, Marie," Harry said, "and you mayimagine their delight at the news I gave them. You are to see themthis evening in the gardens of the Tuileries."

  "Oh, Harry, how good you are! How much you have done for us!"

  Harry laughed lightly.

  "Not very much yet; besides, it has been a pleasure as well as aduty. The girls have both been so brave, and Jeanne has the headof a woman."

  "She is nearly a woman now, Harry," Marie said gently. "She is somemonths past sixteen, and though you tell me girls of that age inEngland are quite children, it is not so here. Why, it is nothinguncommon for a girl to marry at sixteen."

  "Well, at anyrate," Harry said, "Jeanne has no time for any thoughtof marrying just at present. But there is another thing I want totell you about. I have first a confession to make. I have deceivedyou."

  "Deceived me!" Marie said with a smile. "It can be nothing verydreadful, Harry. Well, what is it?"

  "It is more serious than you think, Marie. Now you know that whenthe trouble began I felt it quite out of the question for me torun away, and leave you all here in Paris unprotected. Such a thingwould have been preposterous."

  "You think so, Harry, because you have a good heart; but most peoplewould have thought of themselves, and would not have run all sortsof risks for the sake of three girls with no claim upon them."

  "Well, Marie, you allow then that a person with a good heart wouldnaturally do as I did."

  "Well, supposing I do, Harry, what then?"

  "You must still further allow that a person with a good heart, andupon whom you had a great claim, would all the more have remainedto protect you."

  "What are you driving at, Harry, with your supposition?" she said,her cheek growing a little paler as a suspicion of the truth flashedupon her.

  "Well, Marie, you mustn't be agitated, and I hope you will notbe angry; but I ask you how, as he has a good heart, and you haveclaims upon him, could you expect Victor de Gisons to run away likea coward and leave you here?"

  Marie had risen to her feet and gazed at him with frightened eyes.

  "What, is it about him that you deceived me! Is it true that hedid not go away? Has anything happened to him? Oh, Harry, do notsay he is dead!"

  "He is not dead, Marie, but he has been very, very ill. He was withme at La Force on that terrible night, and saw his father broughtout to be murdered. The shock nearly killed him. He has had brainfever, and has been at death's door. At present he is mending, butvery, very slowly. He knows no one, not even me, but I trust thatyour voice and your presence will do wonders for him."

  "Where is he, Harry?" Marie said as she stood with clasped hands,and a face from which every vestige of colour had flown. "Take meto him at once."

  "He is in the house, Marie; that is why I have brought you here.These good people have nursed and concealed him for five months."

  Marie made a movement towards the door.

  "Wait, Marie, you cannot go to him till you compose yourself. Itis all-important that you should speak to him, when you see him,in your natural voice, and you must prepare yourself for a shock.He is at present a mere wreck, so changed that you will hardly knowhim."

  "You are telling me the truth, Harry? You are not hiding from methat he is dying?"

  "No, dear; I believe, on my honour, that he is out of danger now,and that he is progressing. It is his mind more than his body thatneeds curing. It may be a long and difficult task, Marie, before heis himself again; but I believe that with your care and companionshiphe will get round in time, but it may be months before that."

  "Time is nothing," Marie said. "But what about the girls?"

  "They must still be under my charge, Marie. I shall start withthem in a day or two and try to make for the sea-shore, and thenacross to England. Suspicions have been aroused; they have alreadybeen denounced, and may be arrested at any time. Therefore it isabsolutely necessary that they should fly at once; but I thoughtthat you would consider it your first duty to stay with Victor,seeing that to him your presence is everything, while you could donothing to assist your sisters, and indeed the fewer of us thereare the better."

  "Certainly it is my duty," Marie said firmly.

  "You will be perfectly safe here under the care of Jacques and hiswife. They have already given out to their neighbours that Victor'sfiance is coming to help nurse him, and even if by any possibilitya suspicion of your real position arises, you have Robespierre'spardon as a protection. This state of things cannot last forever; a reaction must come; and then if Victor is cured, you willbe able to escape together to England."

  "Leave me a few minutes by myself, Harry. All this has come sosuddenly upon me that I feel bewildered."

  "Certainly," Harry said. "It is best that you should think thingsover a little. No wonder you feel bewildered and shaken with allthe trials you have gone through."

  Marie went to her room and returned in a quarter of an hour.

  "I am ready now," she said, and by the calm and tranquil expressionof her face Harry felt that she could be trusted to see Victor.

  "I have a feeling," she went on, "that everything will come rightin the end. I have been saved almost by a miracle, and I cannotbut feel that my life has been spared in order that I might takemy place here. As to the girls, it was a shock at first when youtold me that fresh danger threatened them, and that I should notbe able to share their perils upon their journey; but I could nothave aided them, and God has marked out my place here. No, Harry,God has protected me so far, and will aid me still. Now I am readyfor whatever may betide."

  "One moment before you enter, Marie. You are prepared, I know,to see a great change in Victor, but nevertheless you cannot butbe shocked at first. Do not go up to him or attract his attentiontill you have overcome this and are able to speak to him in yournatural voice. I think a great deal depends upon the first impressionyou make on his brain. Your voice has a good deal changed in thelast six months; it would be strange if it had not; but I want youto try and speak to him in the bright cheerful tone he was accustomedto hear."

  Marie nodded. "One moment," she said, as she brushed aside the tearswhich filled her eyes, drew herself up with a little gesture thatreminded Harry of old times, and then with a swift step passedthrough the door into Victor's room. Whatever she felt at the sightof the wasted figure lying listlessly with half-closed eyes on thecouch, it only showed itself by a swift expression of pain whichpassed for a moment across her face and then was gone.

  "Victor," she said in her clear ringing voice, "Victor, my wellbeloved, I am come to you." The effect upon Victor was instantaneous.He opened his eyes with a start, half rose from his couch and heldout his arms t
owards her.

  "Marie," he said in a faint voice, "you have come at last. I havewanted you so much."

  Then, as Marie advanced to him, and kneeling by his side, claspedhim in her arms, Elise and Harry stole quietly from the room. Itwas nearly an hour before Marie came out. There was a soft glow ofhappiness on her face, though her cheeks were pale.

  "Not yet!" she said, as she swept past them into her own room.

  In a few minutes she reappeared.

  "Pardon me," she said, holding out her hands to Harry and Elise,"but I had to thank the good God first. Victor is quite sensiblenow, but oh, so weak! He remembers nothing of the past, but seemsto think he is still in Burgundy, and has somehow had an illness.Then he spoke of the duke and my dear father and mother as beingstill alive, and that he hoped they would let me come to himnow. I told him that all should be as he wished as soon as he gotstronger, but that he must not think of anything now, and thatI would nurse him, and all would be well. He seemed puzzled aboutmy dress"--for Marie had already put on the simple attire whichhad been prepared for her--"but I told him that it was fit for asick-room, and he seemed satisfied. He has just dozed off to sleep,and I will go in and sit with him now till he wakes."

  "When he does, mademoiselle, I will have some broth and a glass ofgood burgundy ready for him," Elise said.

  "Thank you; but please call me Marie in future. There are nomesdemoiselles in France now, and I shall call you Elise insteadof Madame. And Harry, would you mind telling the girls that I willmeet them to-morrow instead of this evening. I long to see them, ohso, so much; but I should not like to leave him for a moment now.I fear so that his memory might go again if he were to wake andmiss me."

  "I was going to propose it myself, Marie," Harry said. "It isall-important to avoid any agitation now. To-morrow, I hope, itwill be safer, and the doctor will give him a sleeping-draught, sothat he shall not wake while you are away. But, Marie, remember itwill be a farewell visit, for I dare not let them stay more thananother day. They may be denounced again at any hour, for the manwho wrote to Robespierre, if he finds that nothing comes of it,may go to the local committee, and they will not lose an hour, youmay be sure."

  "I must see them this evening, then," Marie said hurriedly. "The doctorwill be here, you say, soon. Victor must have his sleeping-draughtthis afternoon instead of to-morrow. They must go at once. Ishould never forgive myself if, by putting off our parting fortwenty-four hours, I caused them to fall into the hands of thesewretches; so please hurry on all the arrangements so that they mayleave the first thing to-morrow morning."

  "It will be best," Harry said, "if you will do it, Marie. I ownthat I am in a fever of apprehension. I will go there at once totell them that all must be in readiness by to-night. They will beglad indeed to hear that your presence has done such wonders forVictor. They will be able to leave you with a better heart ifthey feel that your stay here is likely to bring health to him andhappiness to both of you."

  "A week since," Marie said, "it did not seem to me that I couldever be happy again; but though everything is still very dark, theclouds seem lifting."

  The girls were greatly rejoiced when they heard the good news thatVictor had recognized Marie, and that Harry had now hopes that hewould do well.

  "And now we must talk about ourselves," Harry said. "We must notlose another hour. Now, Louise, you must take part in our council.We have everything to settle, and only a few hours to do it in. Ishould like, if possible, that we should not come back here thisevening after you have once left the house. The man who denouncedyou will expect that something would be done to-day, and when hesees that nothing has come of his letter he may go this eveningto the local committee, and they would send men at once to arrestyou. No doubt he only wrote to Robespierre first, thinking he wouldget credit and perhaps a post of some sort for his vigilance in thecause. But if Louise thinks that it cannot possibly be managed, Iwill write a letter at once to him in Robespierre's name, sayingthat his letter has been noted and your movements will be closelywatched, and thanking him for his zeal in the public service."

  "No, I think we are ready," Jeanne said. "Of course we havebeen talking it over for weeks, and agreed it was better to be inreadiness whenever you told us it was time to go. Louise will tellyou all about it."

  "The disguises are all ready, Monsieur Sandwith; and yesterdaywhen you said that my dear mademoiselle could not go with them,I settled, if you do not see any objection, to go with the dearchildren."

  "I should be very glad," Harry said eagerly, for although he hadseen no other way out of it, the difficulties and inconveniencesof a journey alone with Jeanne and Virginie had been continuallyon his mind. The idea of taking the old woman with them had neveroccurred to him, but now he hailed it as a most welcome solutionof the difficulty.

  "That will be a thousand times better in every way, for with youwith us it would excite far less remark than three young peopletravelling alone. But I fear, Louise, that the hardships we mayhave to undergo will be great."

  "It matters little," the old woman said. "I nursed their mother,and have for years lived on her bounty; and gladly now will Igive what little remains to me of life in the service of her dearchildren. I know that everything is turned topsy-turvy in our poorcountry at present, but as long as I have life in my body I willnot let my dear mistress's children be, for weeks perhaps, wanderingabout with only a young gentleman to protect them, and MademoiselleJeanne almost a woman too."

  "Yes, it is better in every way," Harry said. "I felt that it wouldbe a strange position, but it seemed that it could not be helped;however, your offer gets us out of the embarrassment. So yourdisguises are ready?"

  "Yes, monsieur," Louise said; "I have a boy's suit for MademoiselleVirginie. She did not like it at first, but I thought that ifmademoiselle went with you it would be strange to have three girlsjourneying under the charge of one young man."

  "I think it a very good plan, Louise, but you must get out of theway of calling me monsieur or else it will slip out before people.Now what I propose is, that when we get fairly away we shall buy ahorse and cart, for with you with us we can go forward more boldlythan if we were alone.

  "You will be grandmother, and we shall be travelling from a farmnear Etampes to visit your daughter, who is married to a farmer nearNantes. That will be a likely story now, and we can always make adetour to avoid towns. It will be dark when you go out this evening,so you can take three bundles of clothes with you. The only thingis about to-night. The weather is bitterly cold, and it is out ofthe question that you should stop out all night, and yet we couldnot ask for a lodging close to Paris.

  "Oh, I see now! The best plan will be for you all to sleep to-nightat Jacques'. The good people will manage somehow; then we canstart early in the morning. Yes, and in that way it will not benecessary for Marie to go out and leave Victor."

  "That will certainly be the best way," Louise said. "I have beenwondering ever since you said we must start this evening, whatwould become of us to-night. When we once get fairly away fromParis it will be easier, for the country people are kind-hearted,and I think we shall always be able to get shelter for the night;but just outside Paris it would be different. Then where shall wemeet this evening?"

  "I will be at the end of the street," Harry said. "It is quitedark by five, so do you start a quarter of an hour later; hide yourbundles under your cloaks, for if that fellow is on the look-out hemight follow you if he thought you were leaving. Draw your blindsup when you leave, Louise, so that the room will look as usual,and then it may be some time before anyone suspects that you haveleft; and if I were you I would mention to some of your neighboursthis afternoon that you have had a letter from your friends inBurgundy, and are going away soon with your nieces to stay withthem for a while. You had better pay your rent for three monthsin advance, and tell your landlord the same thing; saying that youmay go suddenly anytime, as a compere who is in Paris, and is alsogoing back, is going to take charge of you on the journey, and thath
e may call for you at any time. Thus when he finds that you haveleft, your absence will be accounted for; not that it makes muchdifference, for I hope that when you have seen the girls safely toEngland you will make your home with them there."

  "Yes, I shall never come back here," the old woman said, "never,even if I could. Paris is hateful to me now, and I have no reasonfor ever wanting to come back."

  "In that case," Harry said smiling, "we may as well save the threemonths' rent."

  "Oh, how I long to be in England," Virginie exclaimed, "and to seedear Ernest and Jules again! How anxious they must be about us, nothaving heard of us all this long time! How shall we know where tofind them?"

  "You forget, Virginie," Jeanne said, "it was arranged they shouldgo to Harry's father when they got to England, and he will knowwhere they are living; there is sure to be no mistake about that,is there, Harry?"

  "None at all," Harry said. "You may rely upon it that directly youget to my father you will hear where your brothers are. And now Iwill go and tell Marie that there is no occasion for Victor to takea sleeping draught."

  Marie was delighted when she heard that she was going to have hersisters with her for the whole evening and night, and Elise busiedherself with preparations for the accommodation of her guests.Harry then went back to his attic, made his clothes into a bundle,and took up the bag of money from its hiding-place under a boardand placed it in his pocket.

  He had, since he had been with Robespierre, gradually changed thesilver for gold in order to make it more convenient to carry, andit was now of comparatively little weight, although he had drawnbut slightly upon it, except for the payment of the bribe promisedto the warder. His pistols were also hidden under his blouse.

  He went down stairs and waited the return of Robespierre.

  "Citizen," he said when he entered, "circumstances have occurredwhich render it necessary for me to travel down to Nantes to escorta young girl, a boy, and an old woman to that town; they cannottravel alone in such times as these, and they have a claim upon mewhich I cannot ignore."

  "Surely, friend Sandwith," Robespierre said, "the affairs of Franceare of more importance than private matters like these."

  "Assuredly they are, citizen; but I cannot flatter myself thatthe affairs of France will be in any way injured by my temporaryabsence. My duty in this matter is clear to me, and I can onlyregret that my temporary absence may put you to some inconvenience.But I have a double favour to ask you: the one is to spare me fora time; the second, that you will give me papers recommendingme, and those travelling with me, to the authorities of the townsthrough which we shall pass. In these times, when the enemies ofthe state are travelling throughout France seeking to corrupt theminds of the people, it is necessary to have papers showing thatone is a good citizen."

  "But I have no authority," Robespierre said. "I am neither a ministernor a ruler."

  "You are not a minister, citizen, but you are assuredly a ruler. Itis to you men look more than to any other. Danton is too headstrongand violent. You alone combine fearlessness in the cause of Francewith that wisdom and moderation which are, above all things,necessary in guiding the state through its dangers."

  Robespierre's vanity was so inordinate that he accepted the complimentas his due, though he waved his hand with an air of deprecation.

  "Therefore, citizen," Harry went on, "a letter from you would bemore powerful than an order from another."

  "But these persons who travel with you, citizen--how am I to besure they are not enemies of France?"

  "France is not to be shaken," Harry said, smiling, "by the effortsof an old woman of seventy and a young boy and girl; but I canassure you that they are no enemies of France, but simple inoffensivepeople who have been frightened by the commotion in Paris, and longto return to the country life to which they are accustomed. Come,citizen, you refused the first boon which I asked you, and, methinks,cannot hesitate at granting one who has deserved well of you thisslight favour."

  "You are right," Robespierre said. "I cannot refuse you, even ifthe persons who accompany you belong to the class of suspects, ofwhich, mind, I know nothing, though I may have my suspicions. Ihave not forgotten, you know, that you asked for the life of thedaughter of the ci-devant Marquis de St. Caux; and for aught I knowthese children may be of the same breed. But I will not ask you.Did I know it, not even the obligation I am under to you would youinduce me to do what you ask; for although as children they cando no harm, they might do so were they allowed to grow up hatingFrance. All children of suspects are, as you know, ordered to beplaced in the state schools, in order that they may there learnto love the people of France and to grow up worthy citizens. Now,how shall I word it?" he said, taking up a pen; and Harry dictated:

  "I hereby recommend Citizen Henri Sandwith, age 19, who has beenacting as my confidential secretary, to all public authorities,together with Citoyenne Moulin and her two grandchildren, with whomhe is travelling."

  To this Robespierre signed his name and handed the paper to Harry.

  "How long will you be before you return?" he asked.

  "I cannot say exactly," Harry replied; "as after I have seen themto their destination I may stop with them for a few weeks."

  Robespierre nodded and held out his hand.

  "I shall be glad to have you with me again, for I have conceiveda strong friendship for you, and think none the worse of you foryour showing your gratitude to the family in whom you are interested."

  Harry then went into the kitchen, where Robespierre's sister waspreparing the next meal, and said good-bye to her.

  She had taken a fancy to her brother's young secretary, and expresseda hope that his absence would be but a short one, telling him thatRobespierre had said only the day before how much work he had savedhim, and that he was determined to push his fortunes to the utmost.

  Having thus paved the way for an appeal to Robespierre should hefind himself in difficulties on the road, Harry proceeded to Jacques'house and waited there until it was time to go up to meet Louiseand the girls.

  Victor did not wake until the afternoon. The doctor had calledas usual, but had not roused him. He had been told what had takenplace, and had held out hope to Marie that Victor's improvementwould be permanent, and that he would now make steady progresstowards recovery.

  At the appointed hour Harry was at his post to meet the party. Theycame along within a few minutes of the time named, but instead ofstopping to greet him they walked straight on, Jeanne saying asshe passed him:

  "I think we are followed."

  Harry at once drew back and allowed them to go fifty yards on beforehe moved after them. As there were many people about, it was somelittle time before he could verify Jeanne's suspicions; then henoticed that a man, walking a short distance ahead of him, followedeach turning that the others took.

  Harry waited until they were in a quiet street, and then quickenedhis pace until he was close behind the man. Then he drew one ofhis pistols, and, springing forward, struck him a heavy blow onthe head with its butt. He fell forward on his face without a cry;and Harry, satisfied that he had stunned him, ran on and overtookthe others, and, turning down the first street they came to, wasassured that they were safe from pursuit.

  "We had noticed a man lounging against the house opposite all theafternoon," Jeanne said, "and came to the conclusion that he mustbe watching us; so we looked out for him when we came out, andnoticed that as soon as we went on he began to walk that way too.So I told Louise to walk straight on without stopping when we cameup to you. I was sure you would manage somehow to get rid of him."

  Harry laughed.

  "I fancy he will spend to-morrow in bed instead of lounging about.Perhaps it will teach him to mind his own business in future and toleave other people alone. I am very glad that he did follow you;for I felt that I owed him one, and was sorry to leave Paris withoutpaying my debt. Now I think we are pretty well square."

  The meeting between the sisters was indeed a happy one. They fellon e
ach other's necks, and for some time scarce a word was spoken;then they stood a little apart and had a long look at each other.

  "You are changed, Marie dear," Jeanne said; "you look pale, butyou look, too, softer and prettier than you used to."

  "All my airs and graces have been rubbed off," Marie said with aslight smile. "I have learned so much, Jeanne, and have been wherenoble blood has been the reverse of a recommendation. You are changedtoo--the six months have altered you. Your gouvernante would notcall you a wild girl now. You are quite a woman.

  "We have suffered too, Marie," Jeanne said as tears came to her eyesat the thought of the changes and losses of the last few months."We have thought of you night and day; but Louise has been very goodto us, and as for Harry, we owe everything to him. He has alwaysbeen so hopeful and strong, and has cheered us up with promisesthat he would bring you to us some day."

  Marie smiled.

  "You are right, Jeanne. I used to laugh a little, you know, at yourbelief in your hero, and little thought that the time would comewhen I should trust him as implicitly as you do. You have a rightto be proud of him, Jeanne. What thought and devotion and couragehe has shown for us! And do you know, he saved Victor too. Jacqueshas told me all about it--how Victor saw his father brought outto be murdered; and how, half-mad, he was springing out to standbeside him, when Harry as quick as thought knocked him down beforehe could betray himself; and then Jacques, who was standing by sawit, helped him carry him here. Oh, my dear, how much we owe him!

  "And now, Virginie," she said, turning to the youngest, "I musthave a good look at you, little one--but no, I mustn't call youlittle one any longer, for you are already almost as tall as I am.My child, how you have been growing, and you look so well! Louisemust have been feeding you up. Ah, Louise, how much we all owe toyou too! And I hear you are going to leave your comfortable homeand take care of the girls on their journey. It was such a comfortto me when Harry told me!"

  "I could not let them go alone, mademoiselle," the old woman saidsimply; "it was only my duty. Besides, what should I do in Pariswith all my children in England?"

  "Now, my dears, take your things off," Marie said. "I will justrun in and see how Victor is getting on. Harry went straight in tohim, and I want to know whether Victor recognized him."