She did not on the instant understand the reason or what was the matter.

She pushed more strongly, still it came back on her, it opened widely and more widely.

And then one who had heard all, yet had not shown himself, one who had entered with Baudichon's company, but had held himself hidden in the background, pushed in, uninvited.
Uninvited?
The rushlight still burned low and smokily, and she had not relighted the lamp.

The corners were dark with shadows, the hearth was cold and empty and ugly, the shutters still blinded the windows.

But the coming of this uninvited one--love comes ever unexpected and uninvited--how strangely, how marvellously, how beautifully did it change all for her, light all, fill all.
As she felt his arms about her, as she clung to him, and sobbed on his shoulder, as she strove for words and could not utter them for the happiness of her heart, as she felt his kisses rain on her face in joy and safety, who had not left her in sorrow, no, nor in the shadow of death, nor for any fears of what man could do to him--let it be said that her reward was as her trial.
Madame Royaume lived four years after that famous attack on the Free City of Geneva which is called the Escalade; and during that time she experienced no return of the mysterious malady that came with one shock, and passed from her with another.