"Indeed, my lord, I do," I replied; "I believe you have not understood me rightly in former days; but my love and gratitude to you and others that are gone, believe me, are quite as lively as any one could require or wish." He seemed somewhat touched, and mused a moment; but, just as he was about to reply, the baroness entered from the inner part of the tent, and in an instant the evil spirit seemed to come over him again. "No," he said, "No, I must not and I cannot go. They detain me but till they ascertain the accuracy of my safe conduct. No, sir, I fear you have taken this trouble for nothing." "Are you, my lord, quite decided?" I said; "for this can never be risked again. Every moment that I stay here is, as you know, full of peril; but the moment is before you if you choose to seize it." While I was speaking, the baroness came round the table towards me, gazed in may face with a look of coquettish wonder, and, ere he could answer, exclaimed, "Good heavens, this is the young gentleman who only suffered one to see him for a moment at Blancford! and has he really had the generosity to come hither in order to rescue us?" "Whatever he have come here for, madam," answered the baron, "he comes, as you well know, in vain; for, of course, we must remain with the king's troops till the authenticity of our safe conduct is ascertained." "Nay, but speak gently, baron!" said the lady; "speak gently, for pity's sake. Surely you are indebted to him." "I am," said the baron, "but--" At that moment, close to where we stood, burst forth the report of a pistol-shot, with some loud tongues speaking. "Come you or not, my lord?" I cried; "this is the last moment." "Of course I come not," replied the baron. "Go, go, Henry," he added, with a momentary emotion of feeling, "I thank you, I thank you, but I cannot come." I left the tent instantly with some disappointment, that even in that short moment I had not beheld Louise. The moment I was beyond the canvass walls, however, the voice of Moric Endem met my ear, and I darted towards the spot where we had left the sentry. "This way, sir, this way," cried Moric, as soon as he perceived me by the light of the fire; "I have been obliged to shoot the pikeman, and we shall have them all upon us in a minute. See, see, they are coming up there. Are not your friends ready? Then you must leave them, for, by heavens, we shall have hot work before we make our escape." "They do not come, Moric, they do not come," I cried, hurrying on towards the gap. "Could you not have dealt with him more quietly? Firearms make such a noise." "He kept me off with his pike," said Moric, speaking as we hurried along; "and, if I hadn't shot him, he would have stopped the lady." "What lady, in the name of Heaven?" I exclaimed, pausing in astonishment. But Moric seized me by the arm, saying, "Come on, come on, my lord! There's no stopping to think now! I mean the lady Andriot brought out."