console me but
                                                       then to make.  Then
                                                     and said to me, Will
          
                                                    to make you
(Torn off and gone.) England, Madame
          
                                                Oh! yes, Joseph
                                                 would be so well pleased
          
                                                    poor fellow
          
                                                   the money of
          
                                                     family.  I

From the way in which, the cabin was built, one could see any one coming who had business there.  But one day—­God knows how it happened—­a child of the village all at once entered the chamber where I was and knew me.

“Madame Alix!” he cried, took to his heels and went down the terrace pell-mell [quatre a quatre] to give the alarm.  Ten minutes later Matthieu came at a full run and covered with sweat, to tell us that all the village was in commotion and that those people to whom I had always been so good were about to come and arrest me, to deliver me to the executioners.  I ran to Joseph, beside myself with affright.

“Save me, Joseph! save me!”

“I will use all my efforts for that, Mme. la Viscomtesse.”  At that moment Jerome appeared.  He came to say that a representative of the people was at hand and that I was lost beyond a doubt.

“Not yet,” responded Joseph.  “I have foreseen this and have prepared everything to save you, Mme. la Viscomtesse, if you will but let me make myself well understood.”

“Oh, all, all!  Do thou understand, Joseph, I will do everything thou desirest.”

“Then,” he said, regarding me fixedly and halting at each word—­“then it is necessary that you consent to take Joseph Carpentier for your spouse.”

I thought I had [been] misunderstood and drew back haughtily.

“My son!” cried mother Catharine.

“Oh, you see,” replied Joseph, “my mother herself accuses me, and you—­you, madame, have no greater confidence in me.  But that is nothing; I must save you at any price.  We will go from here together; we will descend to the village; we will present ourselves at the mayoralty—­”

In spite of myself I made a gesture.

“Let me speak, madame,” he said.  “We have not a moment to lose.  Yes, we will present ourselves at the mayoralty, and there I will espouse you, not as Claudine Leroy, but as Alix de Morainville.  Once my wife you have nothing to fear.  Having become one of the people, the people will protect you.  After the ceremony, madame, I will hand you the certificate of our marriage, and you will tear it up the moment we shall have touched the soil of England.  Keep it precious till then; it is your only safeguard.  Nothing prevents me from going to England to find employment, and necessarily my wife will go with me.  Are you ready, madame?”