“Listen to me attentively, Monsieur d’Escorval.  I am about to take my leave, but before I go, I shall take occasion to recommend a good deal of exercise for the sick lady—­I will do this before your host.  Consequently, day after to-morrow, Wednesday, you will hire mules, and you, Mademoiselle Lacheneur and your old friend, the soldier, will leave the hotel as if going on a pleasure excursion.  You will push on to Vigano, three leagues from here, where I live.  I will take you to a priest, one of my friends; and he, upon my recommendation, will perform the marriage ceremony.  Now reflect, shall I expect you on Wednesday?”

“Oh, yes, yes, Monsieur.  How can I ever thank you?”

“By not thanking me at all.  See, here is the innkeeper; you are Monsieur Dubois, again.”

Maurice was intoxicated with joy.  He understood the irregularity of such a marriage, but he knew it would reassure Marie-Anne’s troubled conscience.  Poor girl! she was suffering an agony of remorse.  It was that which was killing her.

He did not speak to her on the subject, however, fearing something might occur to interfere with the project.

But the old physician had not given his word lightly, and everything took place as he had promised.

The priest at Vigano blessed the marriage of Maurice d’Escorval and of Marie-Anne Lacheneur, and after inscribing their names upon the church register, he gave them a certificate, upon which the physician and Corporal Bavois figured as witnesses.

That same evening the mules were sent back to Saliente, and the fugitives resumed their journey.

Abbe Midon had counselled them to reach Turin as quickly as possible.

“It is a large city,” he said; “you will be lost in the crowd.  I have more than one friend there, whose name and address are upon this paper.  Go to them, and in that way I will try to send you news of your father.”

So it was toward Turin that Maurice, Marie-Anne, and Corporal Bavois directed their steps.

But their progress was very slow, for they were obliged to avoid frequented roads, and renounce the ordinary modes of transportation.

The fatigue of travel, instead of exhausting Marie-Anne, seemed to revive her.  After five or six days the color came back to her cheek and her strength returned.

“Fate seems to have relaxed her rigor,” said Maurice, one day.  “Who knows what compensations the future may have in store for us!”

No, fate had not taken pity upon them; it was only a short respite granted by destiny.  One lovely April morning the fugitives stopped for breakfast at an inn on the outskirts of a large city.

Maurice having finished his repast was just leaving the table to settle with the hostess, when a despairing cry arrested him.

Marie-Anne, deadly pale, and with eyes staring wildly at a paper which she held in her hand, exclaimed in frenzied tones: