“‘Frederika is behind this business,’ he said.

“‘Behind what business, my lord?’ I asked.

“‘This sickness of Estella.  Bring her to me, ill or well,’ he replied; ‘I want to see her.’

“He was in no humor to be trifled with; and so I returned to my room to think it over.  I saw that Estella would have to barricade herself in her room.  How could she support life in the meantime?  The first requisite was, therefore, food.  I went at once to Michael, the cook’s assistant, who is a trusty friend of mine, and secured from him, secretly and under a pledge of silence, food enough to last until the next night.  I hurried to Estella, told her of her danger, and gave her the basket of provisions.  I instructed her to lock her door.

“‘If they break it in,’ I said, ’use your knife on the first man that touches you.  If they send you food or drink, do not use them.  If they attempt to chloroform you, stop up the pipe with soap.  If the worst comes to the worst, use the rope-ladder.  If you manage to get outside the garden gate, call a hack and drive to that address.’  Here I gave her your direction on a small piece of tissue paper.  ’If you are about to be seized, chew up the paper and swallow it.  Do not in any event destroy yourself,’ I added, ’until the last desperate extremity is reached; for you have a powerful organization behind you, and even if recaptured you will be rescued.  Good-by.’

“She thanked me warmly, and as I left the room I heard her again lock the door.

“I returned to the Prince, and told him that Estella had said she was too ill to leave her room, and that she refused to obey his summons.  Unaccustomed to contradiction, especially in his own house, he grew furious.

“‘Call the servants,’ he shouted; ‘we will see who is master here!’

“A few of the men came running; Frederika entered with them; some of the women followed.  We proceeded up stairs to Estella’s door.  The Prince shook it violently.

“‘Open the door,’ he cried, ‘or I will break it down.’

“I began to hope that he would rush to the doom he has so long deserved.

“The calm, steady voice of Estella was now heard from within the room; speaking in a high and ringing tone: 

“’I appeal to my country.  I demand the right to leave this house.  I am an American citizen.  The Constitution of the United States forbids human slavery.  My fathers helped to found this government.  No one has the right to sell me into the most hideous bondage.  I come of a great and noble race.  I demand my release.’

“‘Come, come, open the door,’ cried the Prince, flinging himself against it until it quivered.

“The voice of Estella was heard again, in solemn tones: 

“‘The man who enters here dies!’

“The cowardly brute recoiled at once, with terror on every feature of his face.

“‘Who will break down that door,’ he asked, ’and bring out that woman?