My door was about to be opened.  I heard the key turn, and the bars and bolts slowly removed.  The opening of intervening passages permitted sounds from the interior of the palace to reach me; and I heard the clock strike one.  They come to murder me, I thought; this hour does not befit a public execution.  I drew myself up against the wall opposite the entrance; I collected my forces, I rallied my courage, I would not fall a tame prey.  Slowly the door receded on its hinges—­I was ready to spring forward to seize and grapple with the intruder, till the sight of who it was changed at once the temper of my mind.  It was Juliet herself; pale and trembling she stood, a lamp in her hand, on the threshold of the dungeon, looking at me with wistful countenance.  But in a moment she re-assumed her self-possession; and her languid eyes recovered their brilliancy.  She said, “I am come to save you, Verney.”

“And yourself also,” I cried:  “dearest friend, can we indeed be saved?”

“Not a word,” she replied, “follow me!”

I obeyed instantly.  We threaded with light steps many corridors, ascended several flights of stairs, and passed through long galleries; at the end of one she unlocked a low portal; a rush of wind extinguished our lamp; but, in lieu of it, we had the blessed moon-beams and the open face of heaven.  Then first Juliet spoke:—­“You are safe,” she said, “God bless you!—­ farewell!”

I seized her reluctant hand—­“Dear friend,” I cried, “misguided victim, do you not intend to escape with me?  Have you not risked all in facilitating my flight? and do you think, that I will permit you to return, and suffer alone the effects of that miscreant’s rage?  Never!”

“Do not fear for me,” replied the lovely girl mournfully, “and do not imagine that without the consent of our chief you could be without these walls.  It is he that has saved you; he assigned to me the part of leading you hither, because I am best acquainted with your motives for coming here, and can best appreciate his mercy in permitting you to depart.”

“And are you,” I cried, “the dupe of this man?  He dreads me alive as an enemy, and dead he fears my avengers.  By favouring this clandestine escape he preserves a shew of consistency to his followers; but mercy is far from his heart.  Do you forget his artifices, his cruelty, and fraud?  As I am free, so are you.  Come, Juliet, the mother of our lost Idris will welcome you, the noble Adrian will rejoice to receive you; you will find peace and love, and better hopes than fanaticism can afford.  Come, and fear not; long before day we shall be at Versailles; close the door on this abode of crime —­come, sweet Juliet, from hypocrisy and guilt to the society of the affectionate and good.”

I spoke hurriedly, but with fervour:  and while with gentle violence I drew her from the portal, some thought, some recollection of past scenes of youth and happiness, made her listen and yield to me; suddenly she broke away with a piercing shriek:—­“My child, my child! he has my child; my darling girl is my hostage.”