“You, Monsieur Lisle! You are safe. I can not believe my eyes. I am glad, glad! You can not know—I was tempted. I was weak. They talked me over, Tortot and his friend, and they promised me a big reward, but I have known nothing but misery. Monsieur Lisle, you must believe me. I have known only horror since I helped them plan to take you away, and since the imprisonment of Madame, your mother, at the home of your aunt.” Henri clasped his hands in his earnestness. “I am in despair. I have known bad hours in this house. They have turned against me, Tortot and the others. They say that I am working against them. I thought just now that one of them had come to kill me. I promise now to do all I can to help you and yours.” Lisle’s face showed no signs of softening as he stood there facing Henri. He was full of excitement. He had come from the hidden cellar, and had found adventure before he reached the second story. He had no pity for Henri. “You saw to it that my mother was made a prisoner, and yet you dare to whine before me,” he exclaimed. Dian had stood silent during the words between Henri and Lisle. He saw what Lisle did not see, that Henri’s repentance was real, and that, in spite of his weakness and cowardice, Henri wanted now, most earnestly, to atone! It was a blessed thing for them all, that Dian knew this to be true. Henri was one of the people and he knew Paris well. Henri turned to Dian. “Tell the young master that it is so. Do not be mad enough to refuse my aid. I have joined up with a battalion and am leaving the city shortly. I did not mean them any real harm, only I was afraid——” “You need not give your cowardice as an excuse. It is you and those like you who are making this revolution a thing for fiends. It is you and your kind who are taking all the beauty from the thought of brotherhood. The Saint Frères have not shown you any kindness, you will say, and that may be true; but they trusted you, a woman and two children, alone and unprotected. They never did anything to deserve such rank disloyalty.” Dian spoke very sternly and turned in the next breath and addressed himself to Lisle. “You, too, are untrustworthy and disloyal,” he said, and looked straight into Lisle’s eyes. Lisle’s eyes answered his, a world of grieved astonishment in their depths. Dian turned again to Henri. “Prove your words by some deed that will show you to be less a coward. I trust you now. I am taking this boy where he will be kept in safety. You, in the meantime, can try to find some way to undo your evil work. I can come and go by way of the broken window in the cellar. You know it well. I can receive a message from you if you have anything of import to tell me.” Henri came nearer to Dian as he spoke, looking at him in a way he had never looked at any human being before. It was as though he were seeing himself for the first time. He put out both his hands toward Dian. “You trust me?” he faltered.