"Come, Gabrielle, quick." Gerard drew her to the window and, getting out, stood upon the ladder and held his arms waiting in a fever of impatience for her to follow. She went to the window and looked out, but with a gasp of fear shrank back, appalled by the far descent, and shuddered.
"Heaven help me, Gerard, I dare not," she cried. Her nerve failed at the look of yawning darkness, and when at the same moment a great knocking sounded against the cell door, she fell on her knees on the floor and buried her face in her hands.
"Come, Gabrielle, courage," said Gerard. "Trust yourself to me and all will be well."
"I cannot, I cannot, I dare not. I cannot die that way. I am a coward, Gerard. But do you go! Oh go, if you love me."
"That I will not," he answered and climbed back into the cell, to the dismay of Pascal and his companions who were watching below.
Then the clamour at the door ceased.
"What does it mean, Pierre?" asked the Governor.
"The lock has jammed, my lord," was the reply. "I have known it so once or twice before and reported it. With your lordship's leave I can get another key that may open it."
"Quick then, man, quick. And have up some men with bars to break the lock in lest you fail."
"His entrance will be your sentence of death, Gerard," whispered Gabrielle. "When roused he is too recklessly desperate in his fury to let aught stand in his way."
"He will not dare to harm me, Gabrielle," he answered calmly.
"When he finds that I have come to rescue you, he will kill you. He would do it were it the King of France himself who stood in his way."
They heard the Governor muttering to himself as he
