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 to his arm, during the melee which had ended in his capture.  The stranger made Jacques conscious of his presence by a sigh, which was almost a groan.  All three prisoners looked round at the sound.  Clement’s face expressed little but scornful indifference; but Virginie’s face froze into stony hate.  Jacques said he never saw such a look, and hoped that he never should again.  Yet after that first revelation of feeling, her look was steady and fixed in another direction to that in which the stranger stood,—­still motionless—­still watching.  He came a step nearer at last.

“‘Mademoiselle,’ he said.  Not the quivering of an eyelash showed that she heard him.  ‘Mademoiselle!’ he said again, with an intensity of beseeching that made Jacques—­not knowing who he was—­almost pity him, when he saw his young lady’s obdurate face.

“There was perfect silence for a space of time which Jacques could not measure.  Then again the voice, hesitatingly, saying, ‘Monsieur!’ Clement could not hold the same icy countenance as Virginie; he turned his head with an impatient gesture of disgust; but even that emboldened the man.

“‘Monsieur, do ask mademoiselle to listen to me,—­just two words.’

“‘Mademoiselle de Crequy only listens to whom she chooses.’  Very haughtily my Clement would say that, I am sure.

“’But, mademoiselle,’—­lowering his voice, and coming a step or two nearer.  Virginie must have felt his approach, though she 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.—­’Mademoiselle, it is not too late.  I can save you:  but to-morrow your name is down on the list.  I can save you, if you will listen.’

“Still no word or sign.  Jacques did not understand the affair.  Why was she so obdurate to one who might be ready to include Clement in the proposal, as far as Jacques knew?

“The man withdrew a little, but did not offer to leave the prison.  He never took his eyes off Virginie; he seemed to be suffering from some acute and terrible pain as he watched her.

“Jacques cleared away the breakfast-things as well as he could.  Purposely, as I suspect, he passed near the man.