He knelt down beside his darling, took both her hands in his, and said, in the most tender tones, that Isabelle heard vaguely as if in a dream: "Rouse yourself, dear heart, and fear nothing.

You are safe now, with your own friends, and your own true lover--nobody can harm or frighten you again." Although she did not yet open her eyes, a faint smile dawned upon the colourless lips, and her cold, trembling, little fingers feebly returned the tender pressure of de Sigognac's warm hands.

Lampourde stood by, and looked down with tearful eyes upon this touching group--for he was exceedingly romantic and sentimental, and always intensely interested in a love affair.

Suddenly, in the midst of the profound silence that had succeeded to the uproar of the melee, the winding of a horn was heard without, and in a moment energetically repeated.

It was evidently a summons that had to be instantly obeyed; the drawbridge was lowered in haste, with a great rattling of chains, and a carriage driven rapidly into the court, while the red flaring light of torches flashed through the windows of the corridor.