Denot did not immediately follow Santerre on to the steps.  He had firmly resolved to thrust himself upon Agatha as a conqueror; to rush upon her as an eagle upon its prey, and to carry her off with a strong hand, disregarding her cries, as the eagle disregards the bleating of the lamb; but the first glance he had got of his victim somehow startled his resolve, and scared the blood from his cheek, and almost from his heart.  When Santerre, however, called to him, he was obliged to follow; and then, making fearful grimaces with his lips, and scowling with his eyes, he stalked out before the astonished father and daughter.

“Yes, Agatha,” he said, looking full upon her, but not daring to turn an eye upon the countenance of her much more indignant father, “yes, Agatha, I have come, as I told you I would come—­I have come to claim you, and no power shall now gainsay me.  I have come to seize you as my own; to take you with a strong hand, and an out-stretched arm.  My prayers were of no avail; you shall find that my sword is more powerful.  When last I sought you, it was as a suppliant, I now come for you as a conqueror.  Come, Agatha, you are now mine.  All the powers of earth shall not rescue you from my arms.”

“You appear to me, Sir, to come as a traitor,” said Agatha.

“A good republican, my dear,” said Santerre:  “he comes as a good republican.”

Agatha did not deign to make any further reply, but as Santerre and the men had now left the steps and gone into the house, Denot put his hand on her arm to lead her away from her father’s side.

“Leave her alone,” shouted the old man, now speaking for the first time since his eyes had rested on the republican soldiers.  “Leave her alone, thou false wretch, thou basest of all miscreants.  Touch her not, or—­or—­,” and the poor Marquis strove in vain to rise from his chair to his daughter’s help.  “Momont, Chapeau, Arthur—­Arthur,” he halloed.  “My daughter—­my daughter, oh! my daughter!”

No one, however, came to his aid, and Agatha, finding resistance to be in vain, suffered Denot to lead her into the house, without uttering another word.

Not the slightest resistance was made to Santerre and his men; he took possession of the chateau without a word even being said to stop him.  The servant girls hid themselves in the garrets, but were soon brought down again, and bade to set quiet in the hall, till their fate should have been decided on.  Momont attempted to conceal himself in the garden, but he was soon found and brought back again, and stationed among the women.  Chapeau was not seen at all, and even the little Chevalier was missing for a time, though he returned of his own accord before Santerre had been long in possession of the place.