“Give me the file,” she said, and took it from my palsied hand. “Do not despair, Monsieur, there is yet time,” and she was filing away at the chain with all her little strength. “Oh, I was wrong to say you slept. See, it is almost through. In half an hour it will be quite through, and you will be free.” Back and forth the file went. I watched her stupidly, and saw without understanding it that her hands turned red and that the chain was wet with blood. “Think of Nanette, M. Pierre,” she said, looking up for a moment into my eyes. “Think of Nanette, that dear Nanette, whom you are going to rescue presently--whom you are going to make so happy.” I was sobbing wildly, out of sheer weakness. “Hasten!” I whispered. “Oh, hasten, Ninon!” She sprang to her feet with a little cry of triumph. “It is done!” she cried. “The chain is through. Take hold here, Monsieur. Now pull. Pull with all your might. Ah!” The chain was broken, I staggered towards the outer door like a drunken man. “Free!” I muttered to myself. “Free!” and I reeled through the door into the outer room. Ninon was beside me, her finger on her lips, her face white with fear. “Hush,” she whispered. “I hear footsteps. She is returning. Perhaps there are others with her. In here, quick,” and before I could resist, even if in my great weakness I had thought of resistance, she pushed me into a little closet, just as Mère Fouchon unlocked the outer door and entered. CHAPTER XIV GREATER LOVE THAN MINE I LEANED against the wall of the little closet in which I was, and looked out through the half-opened door into the room. I saw that Mère Fouchon carried in her arms a leathern bag, which she placed upon the table with a sigh of relief at being rid of its weight. “Come, make ready,” she said to the girl, “the wagon will be here in a moment. Did you give our friend the bottle?” As she turned, she perceived that the door of my cell was open. She sprang to it, cast one look within and saw by the light of the lantern that it was empty. “He is gone!” she screamed, and turned her glaring eyes and working face upon the girl. “You drab, it was with your help!” Doubtless in that instant she saw her plans crumbling about her, she felt the meshes of the law tightening, at the end of the path loomed the black gibbet. This time she would not escape! Small wonder that the blood leaped to her eyes, as she stood there trembling, strangled by rage, unable to speak! Then the bonds loosened and she sprung upon the girl like a cat upon its prey. “Curse you!” she screamed. “You shall pay for it--you!” and she snatched a knife from the table. In an instant, my strength and manhood came back to me, and I dashed open the door. “You devil!” I said between my teeth. “You devil!” and I was upon her.