My Lady Ludlow

he was incapable of measuring time, every moment had seemed so full of noises, from the beating of his heart up to the roll of the heavy carts in the distance. He wo

the 'faithful cousin:' if, indeed,

moiselle Cannes walking along at so swift a pace that it was almost a run; while at her side, resolutely keeping by her, Morin was striding abreast. Pierre had just turned the corner of the street, when he came upon them. Virginie would have passed him without recognizing him, she was in such passionate agitation, but for Morin's g

Pierre!' s

sides, I won't,' he added. 'Who has been frightening mademoiselle in thi

cted by the arrest of an aristocrat, and their cries alarmed her. I offered to take charge of her home. Mademoise

she heard a word of what they were saying

ess homewards. But Morin accompanied her all the same. He had played too desperate a game to be baulked now. He had given information against the ci-devant Marquis de Crequy, as a returned emigre, to be met with at such a time, in such a place. Morin had hoped that all sign of the arrest would have been cleared away before Virginie reached the spot - so swiftly were terrible deeds done in those days. But Clement defended himself desperately: Virginie was punctual to a second; and, though the wounded man was borne of

ss consisted in avoidance of Morin. He had been most assiduous in his efforts to bring her round; quite tender in his way, Pierre said; and this marked, instinctive repugnance to him evidently gave him extreme pain. I suppose Frenchmen are more demonstrative than we are; for Pierre declared that he saw his cousin's eyes fill w

ask his cousin what had happened. But Madame Babette was afraid of her nephew, and thought it more discreet to wait for such crumbs of intelligence as he might think fit to throw to he

hard!'

he had paused for a time, to enable him to add

l my life, before I knew her, seems a dull blank. I neither know nor care for what I did before then. And now there are just two lives before me. Either I have her, or I have not. That is all: but that is everything. A

re are other women in the world

, any more than I made myself love her. It is my fate. But am I to submit to the consequences of my fate without a struggle? Not I. As strong as my love is, so strong is my will. It can be

y you don't know the difference! Those people - the old nobility I mean - why they don't know a man from a dog, out of their own rank! And no wonder, for the young gentlemen of quality are treated differently to us from their

e my "ways," as

sonable,

ne without her. But the latter will be but a short career for both of us. You said, aunt, that the talk went in the co

s, that he left off coming to our hotel, and that at o

warning, Pierre! I did not like your meddling to-night.' And so he went off, leaving Madam Babette rocking herself backwards and forwards, in a

what he had to say came to a sudden break; for, the next morning, when Madame Babette rose, Virginie was missing

great blow from a heavy club on the sword-arm of Monsieur de Crequy laid it helpless and immovable by his side. Jacques always thought that that blow came from one of the spectators, who by this time had collected round the scene of the affray. The next instant, his master - his little marquis - was down among the feet of the crowd, and though he was up again before he had received much damage - so active and light was my poor Clement - it was not before the old gardener had hobbled forwards, and, with many an old-fashioned oath and curse, proclaimed himself a partisan of the losing side - a follower of a ci-devant aristocrat. It was quite enough. He received one or two good blows, which were, in fact, aimed at his master; and then, almost before he was aware, he found his arms pinioned behind him with a woman's garter, which one of the viragos in the crowd had made no scruple of pulling off in public, as soon as she heard for what purpose it was wanted. Poor Jacques was stunned and unhappy - his master was out of sight, on before; and the old gardener scarce knew whither they were taking him. His head ached from the blows which had fallen upon it; it was growing dark - June day though it was - and when first he seems to have become exactly aware of what had happened to him, it was when he was turned into one of the larger rooms of the Abbaye, in which all were put who had no other allotted place wherein to sleep. One or two iron lamps hung from the ceiling by chains, giving a dim light for a little circle. Jacques stumbled forwards over a sleeping body lying on the ground. The sleeper wakened up enough to complain; and the apology of the old man in reply caught the ear of his master, who, until this time, could hardly have been aware of the straits and difficulties of his faithful Jacques. And there they sat - against a pillar, the live-long night, holding one another's hands, and each restraining expressions of pain, for fear of adding to the other's distress. That night made them intimate friends, in spite of the difference of age and rank. The disappointed hopes, the acute suffering of the present, the apprehensions of the future, made them seek solace in talking of the past. Monsieur de Crequy and the gardener found themselves disputing with interest in which chimney of the stack the starling used to build - the starling whose nest Clement sent to Urian, you remember, and discussing the merits of different espalier-pears which grew, and may grow still, in the old garden of the Hotel de Crequy. Towards morning both

e many women among the prisoners. (I have heard some of those who have escaped from the prisons say, that the look of despair and agony that came into the faces of the prisoners on first wakening, as th

ome to the swollen, helpless arm. Yet his weariness grew upon him in spite of all his efforts, and at last he felt as if he must give way

y with breakfast,' s

accursed place that makes us

hange, out of the light into that dark shadow, for any one to see clearly for the first few minutes. Jacques had his eyes fairly open now, and was wide awake. It was Mademoiselle de Crequy, lookin

have touched him in passing, without her perce

of holding the arm to herself. Clement lay on the floor, but she supported him, and Jacques was at liberty to arise and stretch and shake his stiff, weary old body. He then sat down at a little distance, and watched the pair until he fell asleep. Clement had muttered 'Virginie,' as they half-roused him by their movements out of his stupor; but Jacques thought he was only dreaming; nor did he seem fully awake when once his e

lept soundly. He looked for his master. He and Virginie had recognized each other now - hearts, as well as appearance. They were smiling into each other's faces, as if that dull, vaulted roo

onding by far than they did, for he was suffering from the night he had passed, which told upon his aged frame; while they must have heard some good news, as it seemed to him, so bright and happy did they look. Yet Clement was s

to have been almost involuntary on his part - for loyalty was like an instinct in the good old days, before your educational cant had come up. And so two days went on. The only event was the morning call for the victims, a certain number of whom were summoned to trial every day. And to be tried was to be condemned. Every one of the prisoners became grave, as the hour for their summons approached. Most of the victims went to their doom with uncomplaining resignation, and for a while after their departure there was comparative silence in the priso

which the stranger was regarding Monsieur and Mademoiselle de Crequy, as the pair sat at breakfast - the said breakfast being laid as well as Jacques knew how, on a bench fastened into the prison wall - Virginie sitting on her low stool, and Clement half lying on the ground by her side, and submitting gladly to be fed by her pretty white fingers; for it was one of her fancies, Jacques said, to do all she could for him, in consideration of his broken arm. And, indeed, Clement was wasting away daily; for he had received other injuries, internal and more serious than that

'Mademoiselle!' he said again, with an intensity of beseeching that made Jacques -

voice, hesitatingly, saying, 'Monsieur!' Clement could not hold the same icy countenance as Vir

emoiselle to listen to

to whom she chooses.' Very haughtily

did not see it; for she drew herself a little on one side, so as to put as much space as possible between him and her. -'Made

fair. Why was she so obdurate to one who might be ready t

rison. He never took his eyes off Virginie; he seemed to be

hings as well as he could. Purposely,

to come here. I never knew she was here, and she will die tomorrow. They will put her beautiful round throat under the guillotine. Tell her, good old man, tell her how sweet life is; and how I can save her; and how I will not ask for more than just to s

age. Clement listened in silence, watching

me think that Virginie had never repeated to Clement the conversation which she had overheard th

known what you were, and have lost yo

Monsieur de Crequy as well - if he can? - O Clement, we might escape

re fixed on the cousins; he was very pale, and the twitchings or contortions, whi

selle and monsieur, if she will go straight

d not help exclaiming, 'Th

said Morin

he could have fairly uttered the

as he was moving away. 'Tell him he does not know how he makes me welc

but stopped. A minute or two afterwards, he beckoned to Jacques. The old gardener seems to have thought it unde

, if she sends me word she relents. Speak to her, as the time draws on. Life is very sweet - tell her how sweet. Speak to him; he will do more with her than thou canst. Let him urge her to live. Even at th

and I will do al

ectation that she would; but I fancy he did not think it necessary to tell Morn of this conviction of his.) This bargaining with so base a man for so slight a thing as life, was the only flaw that I heard of in the old gardener's behaviour. Of course, the mere reopening of the subject was enough to stir Virginie to displeasure. Clement urged her, it is true; but the light he had gained upon Morin's motions, made him rather try to set the case before her in as fair a manner as possible than u

ent were pronounced, Virginie tuned to Clement, and embraced him with passionate fon

ed them to the Place de la Greve. He saw them mount the platform; saw them kneel down together till plucked up by the impatient officials; could see that she was urging some request to the executioner; the end of which seemed to be, that Clement advanc

victim in her place - and where there had been a little stir in the crowd not five minutes before, some men wer