Something in Juliette's face had already caused her to bitterly repent her action towards her, and now, as this beautiful, refined woman was about to pass from under the shelter of this roof, to the cruel publicity and terrible torture of that awful revolutionary tribunal, Anne Mie's whole heart went out to her in boundless sympathy.
Before Merlin or the men could prevent her, she had run up to Juliette, taken her hand, which hung listless and cold, and kissed it tenderly.
Juliette seemed to wake as if from a dream.

She looked down at Anne Mie with a glance of hope, almost of joy, and whispered: "It was an oath--I swore it to my father and my dead brother.

Tell him." Anne Mie could only nod; she could not speak, for her tears were choking her.
"But I'll atone--with my life.

Tell him," whispered Juliette.
"Now then," shouted Merlin, "out of the way, hunchback, unless you want to come along too." "Forgive me," said Anne Mie through her tears.
Then the men pushed her roughly aside.

But at the door Juliette turned to her once more, and said: "Petronelle--take care of her ..." And with a firm step she followed the soldiers out of the room.
Presently the front door was heard to open, then to shut with a loud bang, and the house in the Rue Ecole de Medecine was left in silence..