"The way was clear for them through the farm-yard, Francois, was it not ?" "No, Monseigneur," said Francois.

"It was anything but clear.

I turned the big bull out of his stall into the yard as I came out, and closed the gate behind me: he would gore a dozen of them before they could make their way through." Whether the pursuit was arrested by the bull, or prevented by any other cause, the fugitives were not interrupted.

They walked wearily and painfully, but yet patiently, and without a complaint above a league, before the women ventured to get upon the waggon.

They then got out upon the road to Bressuire, at no great distance from that town, and on reaching Bressuire they got refreshment and proper clothes, and hired a voiture for the remainder of their journey.
Marie had hardly spoken from the moment when Henri dragged her from her bed, to that in which he helped her in the waggon; but after she had been sitting for a while, she indulged in a flood of tears, which she had restrained as long as she felt that her life depended on her exertions, and then calling Henri to her side, she thanked him, as she so well knew how to do, for all he had done for her.
"You have saved my life, dearest, now," said she, "and ten times more than my life; but I will not say that I love you better than I did before.