It was also possible that his official duties might keep him away for days together.

But even if she were to meet him, why should she be afraid of the eccentric old man?
Would she not rather find in him a natural protector who would conduct her out of the mountains to Klausenburg or Banfi-Hunyad, from whence she would make her way to Pest and there seek a refuge in her aunt's house?
She did not think twice about it, but accepted the idea as a heaven-sent inspiration which it was her duty to follow.

She put on a shawl as if she were only going to take a walk in the moonlight and descended into the park accompanied by the gardener's daughter whom she had bribed to help her to escape.

The girl succeeded in hoodwinking the men servants by dressing herself up in a mantle of her mistress's, pretending she would have supper out in the park as the night was so fine and warm, so that by the time the fraud was discovered and the alarm given, Henrietta had had a start of several hours and although the men, fearful of the anger of their master when he should return and find his wife flown, searched in every direction with lighted torches they were unable to discover a trace of the missing lady.
Terror lends strength to the most feeble.

Ordinarily Henrietta was so weak that it was as much as she could do to promenade through the park.
But to-day after a two hours' run over stones and through briars and bushes, at midnight, she still did not feel weary.