She did not flinch nor change colour, for she was brave, but she rose and looked steadily at the council room, where we could now see other figures moving in the shadow behind the King. Then she turned to me. I had risen too, and was standing beside her. "Do you think they will begin at once?" she asked. "I cannot say. They will undoubtedly begin as soon as they can." "It is horrible! Can nothing be done? Oh! why am I so helpless? Why was I not born a man?" "Mademoiselle, the game is not lost yet. There is still safety before you. I have told the Queen, and she knows of this plot, but is powerless to stay the course of these vampires. She can and will, I know, help you to fly. Leave this place, to-night if possible, and I will see you to the Palatinate, or the Swiss cantons. They cannot touch you there. Mademoiselle, you trusted me once before, trust me again; I will not fail you." Without a word she held out her hand, and I took it in mine. So we stood for a little, neither speaking, and then she said: "But I know not how to leave this place; it has a thousand eyes, a thousand ears----" "We must blind those eyes and make those ears deaf. This evening at dusk come to this spot. I will arrange that either Le Brusquet or De Lorgnac will meet you here and take you to the gate behind the riding-school. I shall be in waiting there with horses, and we will be free of the gates before even they know we are gone. We have more than four hours yet before it grows dark. Think of it! Four hours to prepare! We will beat them." I spoke cheerily, though I well knew that all was hanging by a hair. My words had their effect, and I saw the light of hope in her eyes; but all at once she shrank from me and, covering her face with her hands, sank back upon the seat. I confess that I knew not what to do, or which way to turn, for if mademoiselle's courage failed now it was fatal. "Come," I said, "be brave. In a few hours you will be safe." And I placed my hand on her shoulder. At my touch she collected herself, and rose once again, her face pale, her eyes wet. "Monsieur," she said, "I cannot take your offer. It is impossible." "But why?" And I looked at her in blank astonishment.