The sergeant bent his head and bade his soldiers follow him. In a twinkling they all disappeared toward the rear of the house; they understood the purpose Canolles had in mind, and were not at all solicitous to be blown up with him. Canolles listened for an instant. They were at work on the door with axes, but the fusillade did not abate; they were firing at random, mostly at the windows, where they thought that the besieged might be lying in ambush. Suddenly a loud shout announced that the door had yielded, and Canolles heard the assailants rushing from room to room with cries of joy. "Ah me!" he muttered, "five minutes hence these cries of joy will change to shrieks of despair." He rushed into the underground passage, where he found a young man sitting on the barrel, with the torch at his feet, and his face buried in his hands. He raised his head at the sound of footsteps and Canolles recognized Madame de Cambes. "Ah! here you are at last!" she cried, as she rose. "Claire!" murmured Canolles, "why have you come here?" "To die with you, if you are determined to die." "I am dishonored, ruined, and there is nothing for me But to die." "You are saved and your honor is secure,--saved by me." "Ruined by you! Do you hear them? they are coming; here they are! Claire, make your escape while you may; you have five minutes, it is more than enough." "I will not fly, I will remain." "But do you know why I came down here? Do you know what I propose to do?" Madame de Cambes picked up the torch, and put it near the barrel of powder. "I have a suspicion," said she. "Claire!" cried Canolles in dismay. "Claire!" "Say again that you propose to die, and we will die together." The pale face of the viscountess indicated such resolution that Canolles realized that she was quite capable of doing what she said; and he stopped. "Tell me what you wish," he said. "I wish you to surrender." "Never!" "Time is precious," continued the viscountess; "surrender. I offer you life and honor, for I give you the excuse that you were surprised by treachery." "Let me fly, then; I will lay my sword at the king's feet, and beseech him to give me an opportunity to have my revenge." "You shall not fly." "Why not?" "Because I can live in this way no longer; because I cannot live apart from you; because I love you." "I surrender! I surrender!" cried Canolles, throwing himself at Madame de Cambes' knees, and hurling away the torch she still held in her hand. "Ah!" she murmured, "now I have him, and no one can take him away from me again." There was one very peculiar thing, which is capable of explanation, however; namely, that love acted so differently upon these two women. Madame de Cambes, shy, timid, and gentle by nature, had become resolute, bold, and strong. Nanon, capricious and wilful, had become shy, timid, and gentle.