"Keep back, will you, Forgons," interposed Gardin, fearing that his dignity as leader would be usurped. "Leave me to manage this affair. I am here," he said, addressing Colonel Tournay, "to apprehend the person of an aristocrat, and shall brook no interference on the part of any one." "Let me look at your warrant," demanded Tournay, in a tone of authority. "I am not obliged to show that to you," replied Gardin doggedly. "Let me see it, I say!" was the determined rejoinder. Gardin slowly drew a document from the breast of his coat and handed it over with a sullen "Well, there's no harm in your seeing it." Tournay read it carefully. Then folding it up with great deliberation he returned it. "It seems quite regular." "Regular," repeated Gardin, with a laugh,--"well, I like that. Of course it's quite regular,--signed and stamped by the Committee of Public Safety." Then with a show of mock politeness: "Now if the citizen colonel will condescend to step aside I will conduct this young citizeness from the room." "That order of arrest calls for a certain citizeness de Rochefort, does it not?" asked Tournay, without moving. "Certainly it does. The Citizeness Edmé de Rochefort who stands there, right behind you." "You will not find her here," replied Tournay. "None of your jests with me, citizen colonel; why, as I said before, she's standing behind you. I should know her for an aristocrat by the proud look on her face if I had not seen her a hundred times here in La Thierry." "This is not Citizeness de Rochefort." "That's a lie," replied Gardin bluntly, "and in any case she is the woman I am going to arrest." "That woman is Citizeness Tournay, my wife. You cannot arrest her on that warrant, Citizen Gardin." As the colonel spoke these words, which he did slowly and deliberately, Mademoiselle de Rochefort drew a quick, short breath. "It is a trick," cried Gardin savagely; "you are trying to save her by a subterfuge." Tournay repeated coolly, "She is my wife, and I am Robert Tournay, colonel in the Army of the Moselle. Again I advise you not to try to arrest her without a warrant." "And I say again it is a lying trick," cried Gardin, beside himself with rage. "You cannot save your aristocratic sweetheart this way, citizen colonel. The Republic demands her arrest and I mean to take her." "Citizen Ambrose," said Tournay, turning to the priest, "is not this woman my wife?" "Most certainly," said the old priest, coming forward with dignity; "this lady is Madame Robert Tournay."