An hour later Naundorff sat surrounded by the three Carbonari, to whom he had related his entire history. Pity and amazement were upon their faces; Louis Pierre seemed stirred out of his taciturnity. On the table lay the open box from which had been taken the documents corroborating the recital. But these papers had scarcely been necessary, for the Carbonari believed Naundorff blindly. "What a blow is tyranny to receive!" exclaimed Louis Pierre. "'Tis the man who sits upon the throne today that invited foreign troops into our country. Now shall we brand his forehead with the blister of usurpation and fraud. When I longed to inflict upon the House a terrible punishment, I little dreamed that God reserved one so complete, and that I--_we_ should be the instruments." Then Giacinto spoke: "_We_, who are an invincible force, make the cause of Naundorff our own cause. We shall be its defenders even against himself, if he should again seek to overthrow it. What say you, Soliviac? I answer for it that our brothers shall as one stand by him. Ah, we carry on the Polipheme a revelation to our country. To the believing we carry faith; to the incredulous proofs," and he motioned toward the documents. Amélie's clear voice interposed: "Gentlemen, formulate no plans, foster no hopes. Are you counting on disembarking on French soil? That spy living and free, there is not a safe spot in Europe." "Mademoiselle speaks the truth," assented Giacinto, who gazed fascinated upon her imperious beauty and splendid poise. "Our danger is great." "Until now," she continued, "no one has suspected the existence of these papers, which are of a nature to turn the tide of history. My father had no intention of making use of them. He wished to owe his success to the generosity of his sister, and he still trusts to that generosity. But Volpetti knows our secret and he will set forces in motion to wrest this last guarantee from us. He will not scruple as to means, even though our lives be the price. Instead, therefore, of dreaming of splendid victories and dashing revenges, let us think of a refuge. Captain Soliviac, head the vessel toward Dunkirk, for any other spot of France would be our sepulchre. Not even in Holland should we be safe." Naundorff buried his face in his hands. The reproach implied in Amélie's words cut him deeply. Tho his heart approved his extravagant magnanimity, he realized that in freeing Volpetti he shut in his own face the doors of France and lost the opportunity of an interview with the sister whom he was so anxious to convince. "Our fate is in God's hands, Amélie," he said with an imposing gesture, "Volpetti is under superhuman control." "That superhuman control," observed Giacinto sarcastically, "sent a vessel to rescue him. That vessel at this moment carries him to France. Heart of the Madonna! we require genius now to escape with our lives. Am I not right, brothers?" and he turned solemnly toward the other Carbonari.