As he spoke the sentinel's shot was answered by a score of muskets. Two or three bullets shattered the glass in the window, which Canolles hastily closed. He turned back into the room and found Nanon on her knees. Her women and her man-servant came running in from her apartment. "There's not an instant to lose, Nanon!" cried Canolles: "come! come!" He took her in his arms as if she weighed no more than a feather, and plunged into the underground passage, calling to her people to follow him. The sergeant was at his post, torch in hand; the two soldiers, with matches lighted, were ready to fire upon a group of men, among whom was our old acquaintance, Master Pompée, pale with fear, and uttering profuse protestations of friendliness. "Ah! Monsieur de Canolles," he cried, "pray tell them that you were expecting us; what the devil! one doesn't indulge in pleasantry of this sort with one's friends." "Pompée," said Canolles, "I place madame in your charge; one whom you know has agreed upon her honor to answer to me for her; you shall answer to me for her upon your head." "Yes, I will answer for everything," said Pompée. "Canolles! Canolles! I will not leave you!" cried Nanon, clinging to the young man's neck; "Canolles, you promised to go with me." "I promised to defend Saint-Georges while one stone stands upon another, and I propose to keep my promise." Despite Nanon's shrieks and tears and entreaties, Canolles gave her into Pompée's hands, and he, with the assistance of two or three servants of Madame de Cambes and the poor girl's own attendants, carried her off into the dark passage. For an instant Canolles looked after the fair, white phantom, as it was borne away with arms outstretched toward him. But suddenly he remembered that he was expected elsewhere, and rushed back to the stairway, shouting to the sergeant and the two soldiers to follow him. Vibrac was in the governor's room, pale and hatless, with his drawn sword in his hand. "Commandant," he cried as soon as he caught sight of Canolles, "the enemy!--the enemy!" "I know it." "What must we do?" _"Parbleu!_ a pretty question!--sell our lives dearly, of course!" and Canolles darted down into the court-yard. On the way he spied a miner's axe, and took possession of it. The court-yard was full of the invading force; sixty soldiers of the garrison stood in a group, trying to defend the door leading to the governor's apartments. In the direction of the ramparts, there was much shouting and firing, and it was evident that fighting was in progress everywhere. "Commandant! Here's the commandant!" cried the soldiers, when they saw Canolles. "Yes," he shouted back, "the commandant has come to die with you. Courage, my lads, courage! they have surprised us by treachery, because they couldn't whip us in a fair fight."