ot his arm around her, and held her.

“Don’t be so terrified, my love. I solemnly swear to you that I know

of no harm having happened to Charles; that I had no suspicion

even of his being in this fatal place. What prison is he in?”

“La Force!”

“La Force! Lucie, my child, if ever you were brave and

serviceable in your lifeand you were always bothyou will

compose yourself now, to do exactly as I bid you; for more

depends upon it than you can think, or I can say. There is no help

for you in any action on your part tonight; you cannot possibly stir

out. I say this, because what I must bid you to do for Charles’s

sake, is the hardest thing to do of all. You must instantly be

obedient, still and quiet. You must let me put you in a room at the

back here. You must leave your father and me alone for two

minutes, and as there are Life and Death in the world you must

not delay.”

“I will be submissive to you. I see in your face that you know I

can do nothing else than this. I know you are true.”

The old man kissed her, and hurried her into his room, and

turned the key; then came hurrying back to the Doctor, and

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics

opened the window and partly opened the blind, and put his hand

upon the Doctor’s arm, and looked out with him into the courtyard.

Looked out upon a throng of men and women: not enough in