You were scarcely five paces from the muzzle of my gun.
It was God who stayed my hand by reminding me of her despair. Now that I
am to die, as well as Lacheneur, someone must care for Marie-Anne.
Swear that you will marry her. You may be involved in some difficulty on
account of this affair; but I have here the means of saving you."
A sound of firing interrupted him; the soldiers of the Duc de Sairmeuse
were approaching.
"Good God!" exclaimed Chanlouineau, "and Marie-Anne!"
They rushed in pursuit of her, and Maurice was the first to discover
her, standing in the centre of the open space clinging to the neck of
her father's horse. He took her in his arms, trying to drag her away.
"Come!" said he, "come!"
But she refused.
"Leave me, leave me!" she entreated.
"But all is lost!"
"Yes, I know that all is lost--even honor. Leave me here. I must remain;
I must die, and thus hide my shame. I must, it shall be so!"
Just then Chanlouineau appeared.
Had he divined the secret of her resistance? Perhaps; but without
uttering a word, he lifted her in his strong arms as if she had been a
child and bore her to the carriage guarded by Abbe Midon.
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