"I thank you for your kind offer, Sir," replied I, "but I have nothing to trouble you with. I have long quitted my family, who know not whether I am alive or dead, for reasons that I need not explain. I am under an assumed name, and it is my intention to suffer under that name, that my family may not be disgraced by my ignominious death, or be aware that I have perished on the scaffold." "Perhaps you are right," replied the priest; "but let us talk upon another point; have you no friends that could exert themselves in your favour so as to procure your pardon and release?" "None," replied I, "except those who, I am sure, are exerting themselves to the utmost of their power, and to whom no message from me is necessary." "Do you know nobody at court," said the priest, "no person of rank in the government--or I may say opposed to the government--for people now-a-days are not what they seem or pretend to be?" "I have no knowledge of any titled person," replied I; "when I parted with one of the gentlemen whom I landed at Bordeaux he gave me the name of a lady of quality at Paris, desiring me, if in difficulty, to apply to him through her; but that was if in difficulty in France; of course she could do nothing for me in this country." "Have you the name of the lady?" "Yes," replied I; "it is on the first leaf of my pocket-book. Here it is." The priest read the name, and then said-- "You must write immediately a few words, acquainting her with your position. I will see the letter safely delivered before the week is over." "What good can she possibly do me?" replied I. "I cannot say; but this I know, that if anything is to be done, it will be. Write immediately." The priest called the gaoler and requested writing materials, which were brought, and in a few minutes I had done as he requested. "There, Sir, I have written to please you; but I candidly state that I consider it a useless attempt." "Were I of your opinion, I should not have advised you to write," replied he. "There are wheels within wheels that you have no conception of; in these troubled times. What I most fear is that it may arrive too late."