Mustering up courage, however, I took the chair he offered, saying, as I did so, "Will you not be seated, monsieur?" "Thank you," came the answer in the same set tone, and then he fixed his eyes on me with a grave attention, in which, however, there was mingled, as I thought, much repressed curiosity. "Monsieur de Norreys," I began desperately, "you cannot but be aware that I fully understand why you are here." He started slightly, but recovered himself at once, though he said nothing. "And, monsieur," I went on, "I have come to throw myself on your mercy. Monsieur, you look a gentleman. What object can you gain by carrying out your orders against a poor weak woman, whose only end is to hide herself from the world? I have done no wrong, monsieur, and if you knew my story you would pity me--I ask you as a gentleman--as a man of honour." "Madame," he interrupted, genuine amaze in his voice, "I do not understand. As far as I am concerned you are as free as air. I know you to be the wife of my friend de Lorgnac, and my only regret is that I am unable to offer you my escort----" "Say that again, monsieur. Do you mean your business here has nothing to do with me?" "Absolutely nothing, madame. I am afraid you have alarmed yourself needlessly." "But M. de Clermont told me; he said you had gone to Périgueux to have me delivered over to my husband." "Madame, I know of no necessity for doing so, and if I was not certain that you must be mistaken I would say that M. de Clermont deceived you." "I tell you he did not. He showed me the despatch with the Queen's cipher on it--asked me to read it. Monsieur, listen; he did not lie, and I shall tell you why. It is you who deceive me and are playing with me. Wait, monsieur." A flicker of a smile passed over his face and shone in his eyes, but he answered simply: "I am attention; but, madame, think before you tell me things which perhaps I ought not to know." "Let me be the judge of that, and I will show you, monsieur, that it is useless, even in kindness, to hide your orders from me." Then I told him briefly of my marriage, and of the circumstances attending it, whilst he leaned back in his chair and listened without a word, and with so little sympathy in his look, that he might have been cut out of a block of wood. The result was that as I spoke I grew somewhat excited, and my tongue was bitter against de Lorgnac, whom, to my sorrow, I upbraided with the infamy of this enterprise; and then I spoke of de Clermont, of his bravery and kindness, forgetting other things that had happened, and how he had warned me of my danger, and especially about Norreys himself, finishing with a rapid "and, monsieur, surely you will let me go. I put myself on your chivalry."