Their attendants were almost out of sight before them; the sun, declining apace, was in their eyes.
"In two hours we shall be in Angers," he said.

"Mon Dieu, Madame, it was a pity, when you two were taking letters, you did not go a step farther.
You were surprised, or I doubt if I should be alive to-day!" Then she did look up.

She raised her head and met his gaze with such wonder in her eyes, such reproach in her tear-stained face, that his voice sank on the last word.
"You mean--that I would have murdered you ?" she said.

"I would have cut off my hand first.

What I did"-- and now her voice was as firm as it was low--"what I did, I did to save my people.