"Speak out! Let me know what has happened." "You know what happened as well as I do," Claude answered slowly.

He had given his word to the girl that he would not interfere, but he began to see difficulties of which he had not thought.

"It was enough for me! He may be all you said he was, Messer Syndic, but----" "But you no longer burn to break the spell ?" Blondel cried.

"You no longer desire to snatch from him the woman you love?
You will stand by and see her perish body and soul in this web of iniquity?
You are frightened, and will leave her to the law!" He thrust out his thin flushed face, his pointed beard wagging malignantly.

"For that is what will come of it! To the law, you understand! I warn you, the magistrates in Geneva bear not the sword in vain." The young man's brow grew damp.