"Your lordship, it was the Duchess, the wife of my late master whose ashes rest in the chapel"--incoherently articulated Vilon. "Should I refuse her?--close the door in her face?" "Certainly, beast!" cried René, losing all control of himself. "You owe obedience to me and to me only, though you die for it." He clenched his fists and advanced upon Vilon, who, making no resistance, prepared to receive the blow. But Amélie, with the generosity of her upright character, interposed. "René, do not debase yourself. Jean Vilon is in no wise to blame. He has believed your mother, thinking he honored you. When you sent him instructions, you could not foresee this possibility. Fate brought her. Jean is upright and faithful." Her persuasive voice brought calmness to René, but a monstrous doubt seemed to find lodgment in his mind. "Very well; now let us come to the point. What has happened here? Under what pretext has my mother come with pretended messages from me? She surely has not foregone three days of frivolous court life for the pleasure of viewing country scenery. When I (for I have transformed myself into a professional spy) learned in Paris that she had taken the road to Brittany, I hastened after her, feeling sure that she was coming to Picmort. I met her just now on the road, unperceived by her party. I have entered the castle with my secret key and chosen this method of surprising you,--the same employed by the jealous Marquis who imprisoned his wife in this salon. Now, tell me what has happened. Come! the truth!" Amélie remained silent, for not until that moment had she realized the extremity of the case, the nature of the confession she must make to her lover. Her customary valor forsook her. "René," she faltered, "do not reproach me; forgive me, rather. Why have you delayed so long in coming? Why have you left me here defenceless? Why have you abandoned me?" "Defenceless? Abandoned? And that fellow? Has he not protected you? He has orders to die for you. Tell me quickly what has been done. Answer, each of you. What does this mean?" Amélie covered her face with her hands and turning to the wall, burst into bitter weeping. René seized Vilon by the collar, shaking him violently and saying: "Traitor, what have you done? Answer or I will choke you." The Breton freed himself with so lithe a movement that the superiority of his physical strength was evident. Folding his arms on his breast, he said quietly: "The Duchess arrived in a post chaise accompanied by the chaplain and two attendants. I opened wide the gate through which the lords of Picmort have always entered. I kissed her hand in respect. She spent three days here, giving orders and being obeyed. On the third, she decreed that I should marry this young lady--" René leaped in rage. "And--you married--her?" he shrieked. "Yes." "When--when?" "Today, at four o'clock in the Picmort chapel." "Devil!" roared René. "And you, Amélie, have you consented?" "Yes," she wailed.