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027 - The Pastor's Prison · Huguenot- A Tale of the French Protestants

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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty seven of The Huguenot by George Payne Rainsford James.
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Speaker 1: This liprifoxy recording is in the public domain. Chapter twenty seven,
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Speaker 1: The Pastor's Prison. The pillow of Clement de Marlie was
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Speaker 1: wet with her tears, and sleep had not visited her
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Speaker 1: eyes when a quick knocking was heard at her door,
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Speaker 1: and she demanded timidly, who was there? It is I, Madam,
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Speaker 1: replied the voice of the Duchess to Rouvrei's maid. Then
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Speaker 1: wait a moment, Mariette replied, Clement's and I will open
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Speaker 1: the door. She rose, put on a dressing gown, and
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Speaker 1: by the light of the lamp which still stood unextinguished
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Speaker 1: on the table, she raised and concealed in a small
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Speaker 1: casket two letters, which she had left open and which
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Speaker 1: bore evident signs of having been wept over before she
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Speaker 1: retired to rest. The one was in the clear free
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Speaker 1: handwriting of youth and strength. The other was in characters,
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Speaker 1: every line of which spoke the feeble hand of age, infirmity,
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Speaker 1: or sickness. When that was done, she opened the door,
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Speaker 1: which was locked, and admitted the Duchess's maid, who was
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Speaker 1: followed into the room by her own attendant, Maria, who
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Speaker 1: usually slept in a little chamber half by. What is
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Speaker 1: the matter, Mariette demanded the young lady. I can scarcely
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Speaker 1: say that I have closed my eyes. Ere I am
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Speaker 1: again disturbed. I am sorry, Mademoiselle, to alarm you, replied
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Speaker 1: the woman. But Maria will positively not wake you. So
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Speaker 1: I was obliged to do it. For the Duke was
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Speaker 1: sent for just as he was going to bed, and
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Speaker 1: after remaining for two hours with the King, had returned
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Speaker 1: and given immediate orders to prepare for a long journey.
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Speaker 1: The Duchess sent me to let you know that such
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Speaker 1: was the case, and that the carriages would be at
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Speaker 1: the door in less than two hours. Do you know
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Speaker 1: whither they are going, demanded Clement's and if I am
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Speaker 1: to accompany them, I know nothing from the Duke or
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Speaker 1: the Duchess, Mademoiselle, replied the woman. But the Duke's valet
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Speaker 1: said that we were going either to Brittany or Poitou.
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Speaker 1: For my lord had brought away a packet from the
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Speaker 1: King addressed to somebody in those quarters. And you are going, certainly, mademoiselle,
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Speaker 1: For the Duchess told me to tell you so, and
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Speaker 1: the Valet says that it is on account of you
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Speaker 1: we are going for that. The chevalier came back with
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Speaker 1: my lord the Duke, and when he parted with him, said,
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Speaker 1: tell Clement's she shall hear from me soon. Clamon mused,
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Speaker 1: but made no answer, And when in about an hour
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Speaker 1: after she descended to the saloon of the hotel, she
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Speaker 1: found everything in the confusion of departure, and the Duke
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Speaker 1: de Rouvre standing by the table at which his wife
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Speaker 1: was seated, waiting for the moment of setting out, with
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Speaker 1: a face one indeed, and somewhat anxious, but not so
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Speaker 1: sorrowful or dejected as perhaps Claimence expected to see. I fear,
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Speaker 1: my dear Duke, she said, approaching him and leaning her
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Speaker 1: two hands affectionately upon his arm. I fear that you,
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Speaker 1: who have been to your poor Clement's a father, indeed,
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Speaker 1: are destined to have even more than a father's share
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Speaker 1: of pains and anxieties with her. I am sure that
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Speaker 1: all this to night is owing to me or to
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Speaker 1: those that are dear to me, and that you have
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Speaker 1: fallen under the King's displeasure on account of the rash
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Speaker 1: steps of him whom I cannot yet cease to love.
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Speaker 1: Not at all, my sweet claiments, Not at all, my
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Speaker 1: sweet child, said the old nobleman, kissing her hand with
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Speaker 1: that mingled air of gallant respect and affection which he
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Speaker 1: always showed towards her. I do not mean to say
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Speaker 1: that your fair self has nothing to do with this
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Speaker 1: business in any way, but certainly not in that way.
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Speaker 1: It is about another business altogether. Claimants that we are
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Speaker 1: ordered to retire from the court, But not in disgrace,
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Speaker 1: my dear young friend, We are, by no means in disgrace.
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Speaker 1: The King is perfectly satisfied that you have had no
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Speaker 1: share in all the business of poor Albert of Morseilles.
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Speaker 1: And when I told him how bitterly and deeply grieved
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Speaker 1: you were, and how struck to the heart you seemed
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Speaker 1: to have been when you heard that the Count had
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Speaker 1: fled to join the rebels in Poitou, he told me
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Speaker 1: to bid you console yourself, saying that he would find
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Speaker 1: you another and a better husband soon. Claiman's eyes were
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Speaker 1: bent down upon the ground with an expression of grief
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Speaker 1: and pain. But she looked up in a moment and said,
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Speaker 1: has it committed me to ask you, my lord, how
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Speaker 1: I am connected with this sudden removal. Nay, he said, nay,
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Speaker 1: Sweet Clayment's that I must not tell you. I scruple
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Speaker 1: not to say that I think his Majesty is acting
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Speaker 1: without due consideration. But of course my first duty, like
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Speaker 1: that of all his other subjects, is to obey. And
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Speaker 1: he particularly wishes that nothing should be said to you
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Speaker 1: on the subject, as it might render one duty difficult
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Speaker 1: by opposing to it another. At present, the whole matter
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Speaker 1: is quite simple. We have nothing to do but to
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Speaker 1: set out as soon as these villainous lackeys have got
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Speaker 1: the carriages ready, that's say. The Duke turned away, evidently
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Speaker 1: wishing to avoid further inquiries, and in about half a
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Speaker 1: an hour after Claiment's was rolling away from Versailles, with
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Speaker 1: the Duke and Duchess de Rouvre followed by a long
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Speaker 1: train of carriages and attendants. It is needless to trace
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Speaker 1: a melancholy journey in the darkest and gloomiest weather of
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Speaker 1: the month of November, but it was evident that the
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Speaker 1: Duke de Rouvre was in haste, traveling early and late,
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Speaker 1: and it also appeared from his conversation as they went
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Speaker 1: that though he was charged with no special mission from
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Speaker 1: the King, he proposed, only pausing for a short time
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Speaker 1: in partout, and then bending his steps to some of
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Speaker 1: his other estates. Indeed, he suffered it to be understood that,
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Speaker 1: in all probability, for many months he should take but
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Speaker 1: little repose, frequently changing his place of abode and traveling
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Speaker 1: from one city to another. Although the health of Madame
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Speaker 1: de Rouvray was by no means vigorous, and though far
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Speaker 1: and rapid traveling never at any time had agreed with her.
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Speaker 1: She made no objection, but seemed contented and happy with
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Speaker 1: the arrangement, and even suggested that a journey to Italy
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Speaker 1: might be beneficial to them all. Clamon wondered, but was silent,
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Speaker 1: and at length, late on the afternoon of the sixth
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Speaker 1: day after their departure, they arrived at the small town
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Speaker 1: of Douars, over which was brooding the dark gray fogs
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Speaker 1: of a November evening. Not many miles remained to travel
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Speaker 1: from Douar to Ruffini, and the Duke, who was of
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Speaker 1: course well known in that part of the country, received
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Speaker 1: visits of congratulation on his arrival from the principal offices
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Speaker 1: and inhabitants of the town. At these visits. However, Clement's
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Speaker 1: was not present. She sent down an excuse for not
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Speaker 1: appearing during the evening, and when the Duke sent up
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Speaker 1: to say he wished to see her for a moment,
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Speaker 1: she was not to be found, nor had she indeed
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Speaker 1: returned at the end of an hour. Where was Clement
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Speaker 1: de Malis, it may be asked, she was in the
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Speaker 1: dark and gloomy abode often of crime, and often of innocence,
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Speaker 1: but of anguish and sorrow. She was in the prison
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Speaker 1: of the old Chateau of Douar, not indeed as one
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Speaker 1: of those unfortunate beings the involuntary innates of the place,
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Speaker 1: but as one coming upon the sad and solemn errand
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Speaker 1: of visiting a dear and well beloved friend for the
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Speaker 1: last time. The office of governor of the prison, as
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Speaker 1: it was seldom, if ever, used for the confinement of
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Speaker 1: state offenders, had been suffered to fall into the hands
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Speaker 1: of the mayor of the place, who delegated his charge
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Speaker 1: to an old lieutenant, who again entrusted it to two
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Speaker 1: subordinate jailers, Antique and Rusty, in their office as the
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Speaker 1: keys they carried. It was with one of these that
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Speaker 1: claimants was speaking eagerly in the small dark passage that
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Speaker 1: led into the interior of the building. She was habited
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Speaker 1: in the ordinary gray cloak in which we have seen
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Speaker 1: her twice before, and had with her still on this
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Speaker 1: occasion also the faithful servant who had then attended her. Come, Come,
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Speaker 1: pretty mistress, said the man trust think himself steadfastly in
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Speaker 1: the way. I tell you. It is as much as
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Speaker 1: my head is worth. He is condemned to be broken
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Speaker 1: on the wheel to morrow, and I dare admit nobody
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Speaker 1: to him. Look at these, said Clayment's, pouring some gold
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Speaker 1: pieces from her purse into her open hand. I offer
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Speaker 1: you these if you will allow me to speak with
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Speaker 1: him for an hour, and if you refuse, I shall
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Speaker 1: certainly insist upon seeing the lieutenant of the Governor himself.
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Speaker 1: You know what manner of man he is, and whether
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Speaker 1: he will reject what I shall offer him. So he
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Speaker 1: will get the money and you will not, and I
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Speaker 1: shall see the prisoner. Notwithstanding, the man's resolution was evidently
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Speaker 1: shaken to the foundation. He was an old man and
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Speaker 1: fond of gold. The sight was pleasant to him, and
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Speaker 1: putting forth his hand, he lifted one piece between his
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Speaker 1: finger and thumb turned it over and dropped it back
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Speaker 1: again upon the others. The sound completed what the touch
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Speaker 1: had begun. Well, he said at length, I do not
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Speaker 1: see why he should get it and not I. He
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Speaker 1: is asleep too now in the arm chair, so it
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Speaker 1: were a pity to wake him. You want to be
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Speaker 1: with the old man an hour, do you, young woman? Well?
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Speaker 1: You must both go in then, and I must go
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Speaker 1: away and be absent with the keys, for fear the
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Speaker 1: lieutenant should wake and go to see the prisoner. Do
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Speaker 1: you mean to lock us in with him, then exclaimed
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Speaker 1: the maid, in some terror. Fear not, Maria, said her mistress,
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Speaker 1: You who have ever given me encouragement and support, must
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Speaker 1: not fear. Now there is God even here. Be quick then,
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Speaker 1: and come along, said the jailer. But first give me
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Speaker 1: the money. Clement poured it into his hand, and when
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Speaker 1: he had got it, he paused, hesitating, as if he
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Speaker 1: were tempted by the spirit of evil to keep the
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Speaker 1: gold and refuse her admission. But if such were the case,
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Speaker 1: a moment's reflection showed him that to attempt it would
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Speaker 1: be ruinous, and he therefore led the way along the
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Speaker 1: passage in which they were putting his finger upon his
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Speaker 1: lips to enjoin silence, as they passed by a part
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Speaker 1: of the prison which seemed to be inhabited by those
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Speaker 1: who had some means of obtaining luxuries. At length, however,
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Speaker 1: he lowered a lantern, which he carried and pointed to
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Speaker 1: two or three steps, which led into another passage, narrower, damper,
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Speaker 1: and colder than the former. At the distance of about
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Speaker 1: fifty feet from the steps, this corridor was crossed by another,
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Speaker 1: and turning to the right over a rough, uneven flooring
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Speaker 1: of earth, With the faint light of the lantern gleaming
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Speaker 1: here and there on the damp, green glistening mold of
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Speaker 1: the walls, he walked on till they reached the end,
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Speaker 1: and then opened a low, heavy door. All within was dark,
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Speaker 1: and as the man drew back to let his female
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Speaker 1: companions pass, the attendant Maria laid her hand upon the lantern, saying,
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Speaker 1: give us a light at least. Ah, well, you may
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Speaker 1: have it, grumbled forth the jailer and Clements, who, though
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Speaker 1: resolute to her purpose syl felt the natural fears of
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Speaker 1: her sex and situation, turned to him, saying, I give
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Speaker 1: you three more of those pieces when you open the door.
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Speaker 1: Again for me. Oh, I'll do that. I'll do that,
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Speaker 1: replied the man, quickened by the gold, and while Maria
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Speaker 1: took the lantern and passed the door claments, gazed down
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Speaker 1: the step or two that had led into the dungeon,
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Speaker 1: and then, with a pale cheek and wrung heart, followed
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Speaker 1: the door closed behind them. The harsh bolt of the
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Speaker 1: lock grated as the man turned the key, and the
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Speaker 1: power of retreat being at an end, the beautiful girl
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Speaker 1: threw back the hood of the cloak and gazed on
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Speaker 1: before her into the obscure vault, which the feeble light
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Speaker 1: of the lantern had scarcely deprived of any part of
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Speaker 1: its darkness. The only thing that she could perceive at
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Speaker 1: first was a large, heavy pillar in the midst supporting
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Speaker 1: the pointed vault of the dungeon, with the faint outline
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Speaker 1: of a low wooden bed, with a head thereof resting
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Speaker 1: against the column. No one spoke, and nothing but a
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Speaker 1: faint moan broke the awful silence. It required the pause
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Speaker 1: of a moment or two ere clements could overcome the
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Speaker 1: feelings of her own heart sufficiently to take the lantern
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Speaker 1: and advance, opening a part of the dim horn. As
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Speaker 1: she did so, in order to give greater light. A
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Speaker 1: step or two farther forward brought her to the side
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Speaker 1: of the bed, and the light of the lantern now
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Speaker 1: showed her distinctly. The venerable form of Claude de l'estung
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Speaker 1: stretched out upon the straw with which the pallet was filled.
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Speaker 1: A heavy chain was round his middle, and the farther
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Speaker 1: end thereof was fastened to a stanchion in the column.
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Speaker 1: The minister was dressed in a loose gray prison gown,
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Speaker 1: and although he saw the approach of someone in the
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Speaker 1: abode of misery in which he was placed, he moved
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Speaker 1: not at all, but remained with his arm bent under
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Speaker 1: his head, his eyes turned slightly towards the door, his
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Speaker 1: lower lip dropping as if with debility or pain, and
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Speaker 1: his whole attitude displaying the utter lassitude and apathy of
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Speaker 1: exhaustion and despair. When Clement was within a foot or
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Speaker 1: two of his side, however, he slowly raised his eyes
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Speaker 1: towards her, and in a moment when he beheld her face,
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Speaker 1: a bright gleam came over his faded countenance, awakening in
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Speaker 1: it all those peculiar signs and marks of strong intellect
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Speaker 1: and intense feeling which the moment before had seemed extinct
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Speaker 1: and gone. It was like the lightning flashing over some
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Speaker 1: noble ruin in the midst of the deep darkness of
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Speaker 1: the night. Is it you, my sweet child, he cried,
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Speaker 1: in a faint voice that was scarcely audible even in
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Speaker 1: the midst of the still silence. Is it you that
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Speaker 1: have come to visit me in this abode of wretchedness
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Speaker 1: and agony? This is indeed a blessing and a comfort,
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Speaker 1: A blessing to see that there are some faithful even
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Speaker 1: to the last, A comfort and a joy to find
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Speaker 1: that she on whose truth and stepfastness I have fixed
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Speaker 1: such hopes, has not deceived me. And yet he exclaimed,
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Speaker 1: while Clement gazed upon him, with the tears rolling rapidly
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Speaker 1: over her cheeks and the sobs struggling hard for utterance.
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Speaker 1: And yet, why or why have you come here? Why
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Speaker 1: have you risked so much, my child, to soothe the
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Speaker 1: few short hours that to morrow's noon shall see at
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Speaker 1: an end, Oh, dear friend, said Clement, kneeling down beside
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Speaker 1: the pallet. Could I do otherwise when I was in
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Speaker 1: this very town than strive to see you, my guide,
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Speaker 1: my instructor, my teacher, in right, my warner of the
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Speaker 1: path that I ought to shun. Should I do otherwise
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Speaker 1: when I thought that there was none to soothe, that
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Speaker 1: there was none to console you, That in the darkness
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Speaker 1: and the agony of these awful hours, there was not
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Speaker 1: one voice to speak comfort or to say one word
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Speaker 1: of sympathy. My child, you are mistaken, replied the old man,
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Speaker 1: striving to raise himself upon his arm and se thinking
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Speaker 1: back again with a low groan. There has been one
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Speaker 1: to comfort, There has been one to support me. He
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Speaker 1: to whom I go has never abandoned me, neither in
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Speaker 1: the midst of insult and degradation, no nor in the
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Speaker 1: moment of agony and torture, nor in those long and
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Speaker 1: weary hours that have passed since they bore these ancient
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Speaker 1: limbs from the rack on which they had bound them,
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Speaker 1: and cast them down here to endure the time in darkness,
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Speaker 1: in pain, and in utter helplessness, till at noon to
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Speaker 1: morrow the work will be accomplished on the bloody wheel,
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Speaker 1: and the prisoner in this ruined clay will receive a
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Speaker 1: joyful summons to fly far to his redeemer's throne. The
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Speaker 1: tears rained down from the eyes of Clament's de Marlie
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Speaker 1: like the drops of a summer shower. But she dared
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Speaker 1: not trust herself to speak, and after pausing to take breath,
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Speaker 1: which came evidently with difficulty, the old man went on,
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Speaker 1: But still, I say, Claiment's still, I say, why have
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Speaker 1: you come hither? You know not the d You know
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Speaker 1: not the peril in which you are? What, cried Clement?
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Speaker 1: Should I fear danger? Should I fear peril in such
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Speaker 1: a case as this, Let them do to me what
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Speaker 1: they will, Let them do to me what God permits
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Speaker 1: them to do. To have knelt here beside you, to
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Speaker 1: have spoken one word of comfort to you, to have
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Speaker 1: wiped the drops from that venerable brow in this awful
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Speaker 1: moment would be a sufficient recompense to Clement's de Malis.
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Speaker 1: For all that she could suffer, God forbid, cried the pastor,
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Speaker 1: that they should make you suffer as they can. You
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Speaker 1: know not what it is, my child, You know not
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Speaker 1: what it is. If it were possible that an immortal spirit,
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Speaker 1: armed with God's truth should consent unto a lie, that
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Speaker 1: torture might well produce so awful a falling off. But
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Speaker 1: you recall me, my child, to what I was saying.
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Speaker 1: I have not been alone. I have not been uncomforted.
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Speaker 1: Even here. The word of God has been with me
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Speaker 1: in my heart. Spirit of God has sustained my spirit.
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Speaker 1: The sufferings of my Savior have drowned my sufferings. The
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Speaker 1: hope of immortality had made me bear the utmost pains
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Speaker 1: of earth. When they had taken away the printed words
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Speaker 1: from before mine eyes, when they had shut out the
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Speaker 1: light of heaven so that I could not have seen
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Speaker 1: even if the Holy Book had been left, they thought
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Speaker 1: they had deprived me of my solace. But they forgot
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Speaker 1: that everywhere thereof was in my heart, that it was
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Speaker 1: written there with the bright memories of my early days,
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Speaker 1: that it was traced there with the calm recollections of
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Speaker 1: my manhood, That it was printed there with sufferings and
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Speaker 1: with tears, That it was graven there with smiles and joys,
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Speaker 1: That with every act of my life and thought of
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Speaker 1: my past being, those words of the revealed will of
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Speaker 1: God were mingled and never could be separated. And it
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Speaker 1: came back to me even here, and blessed me in
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Speaker 1: the dungeon. It came back to me before the tribunal
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Speaker 1: of my enemies, and gave me a mouth and wisdom.
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Speaker 1: It came back to me on the torturing rack and
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Speaker 1: gave me strength to endure without a groan. It came
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Speaker 1: back to me even as I was lying mangled here,
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Speaker 1: and made the wheel of tomorrow seem a blessed resting place.
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Speaker 1: Alas Alas, cried Claymans. When I see you there, when
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Speaker 1: I see you thus suffering, when I see you thus
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Speaker 1: the sport of cruelty and persecution. I feel that I
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Speaker 1: have judged too harshly of poor Albert in regard to
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Speaker 1: his taking arms against the oppressors. I feel that, perhaps,
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Speaker 1: like him, I should have thus acted, even though I
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Speaker 1: called the charge of ingratitude upon my head. And is
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Speaker 1: he free? Then? Is he free? Demanded the pastor. Eagerly,
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Speaker 1: he is free, replied Clayments. And as we hear in
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Speaker 1: arms against the king, oh entreat him to lay them down,
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Speaker 1: exclaimed the pastor. Beseech him not to attempt it. Tell
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Speaker 1: him that druin into death can be the only consequences.
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Speaker 1: Tell him that the proces church is at an end
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Speaker 1: in France. Tell him that flight to lands where the
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Speaker 1: pure faith is known and loved, is the only hope.
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Speaker 1: Tell him that resistance is destruction to him and to
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Speaker 1: all others. Tell him so, my child, Tell him so
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Speaker 1: from me, Tell him so. But ark, he continued, what
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Speaker 1: awful sound is that? For even while he was speaking,
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Speaker 1: and apparently close to the spot where the dungeon was situated,
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Speaker 1: a sharp explosion took place, followed by a multitude of
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Speaker 1: heavy blows, given with the most extraordinary rapidity. No voices
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Speaker 1: were distinguished for some minutes, and the blows continued without
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Speaker 1: a moment's cessation, thundering one upon the other with a
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Speaker 1: vehemence and force which seemed to shake the whole building.
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Speaker 1: It is, surely, said Clement, somebody attacking the prison door. Perhaps,
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Speaker 1: oh Heaven, perhaps it is someone trying to deliver you.
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Speaker 1: Heaven forbid, exclaimed the old man. Heaven forbid that they
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Speaker 1: should madly rush to such an attempt for the purpose
20:00
Speaker 1: of saving for a few short hours this wretched frame
20:04
Speaker 1: from that death, which will be a relief. Hark, do
20:07
Speaker 1: you not hear cries and shouts? Claiman's listened, and she
20:12
Speaker 1: distinctly heard many voices, apparently elevated, but at a distance.
20:16
Speaker 1: While the sound of the blows continued, thundering upon what
20:19
Speaker 1: was evidently the door of the prison, and a low murmur,
20:22
Speaker 1: as if a person speaking round, joined with the space
20:26
Speaker 1: to make the father cries indistinct. A pause succeeded for
20:31
Speaker 1: a moment or two, but then came the sound of
20:33
Speaker 1: galloping horse and then a sharp discharge of musketry, instantly
20:37
Speaker 1: followed by the loud report of firearms from a spot
20:40
Speaker 1: immediately adjacent to the building. Claymont clasped her hands in terror,
20:46
Speaker 1: while her attendant Maria, filled with the dangerous situation in
20:49
Speaker 1: which they were placed, ran and pushed the door of
20:51
Speaker 1: the dungeon idly, endeavoring to force it open. In the meanwhile,
20:56
Speaker 1: for two or three minutes, nothing was heard but shouts
20:59
Speaker 1: and cries, with two or three musket shots. Then came
21:03
Speaker 1: a volley, then another, then two or three more shots.
21:06
Speaker 1: Then the charging of horse mingled with cries and shouts
21:10
Speaker 1: and screams, while still the thundering blows continued, and at
21:14
Speaker 1: length a loud and tremendous crash was heard, shaking the
21:17
Speaker 1: whole building. A momentary pause succeeded, the blows were no
21:22
Speaker 1: longer heard, and the next sound was a rash of
21:25
Speaker 1: many feet. A moment of doubt and apprehension, of anxiety,
21:30
Speaker 1: nay of terror followed. Clements was joyful at the thought
21:33
Speaker 1: of the past's deliverance. But what she asked herself was
21:37
Speaker 1: to be her own fate, even if the purpose of
21:40
Speaker 1: those who approached was the good man's liberation. Another volley
21:44
Speaker 1: from without broke in upon the other sounds. But in
21:47
Speaker 1: an instant after the rushing of the feet, approached the
21:50
Speaker 1: door where they were, and manifold voices were heard speaking.
21:55
Speaker 1: It is locked, cried one. Where can the villain be
21:57
Speaker 1: with the keys? Get? Cried another loud voice, Give me
22:02
Speaker 1: but a fair stroke at it. A blow like thunder followed, and,
22:06
Speaker 1: seeming to fall upon the locks and bolts of the door,
22:09
Speaker 1: dashed them at once to pieces, driving a part of
22:12
Speaker 1: the woodwork into the dungeon itself. Two more blows cast
22:16
Speaker 1: the whole mass wrenched from its hinges to the ground.
22:19
Speaker 1: A multitude of people rushed in, some of them bearing lights,
22:23
Speaker 1: all armed to the teeth, some bloody, some begrimed with
22:27
Speaker 1: smoke and gunpowder. Fierce excitement flashing from every eye, and
22:32
Speaker 1: eager energy upon every face. Here hears here hears, they
22:36
Speaker 1: shouted to the others. Without make way, make way, let
22:39
Speaker 1: us bring him out. But who are these women, cried
22:43
Speaker 1: another voice. Friends, friends, dear friends, come to comfort me,
22:47
Speaker 1: cried the pastor. Blessings on the tongue that so often
22:51
Speaker 1: has taught us, cried other voices, while several ran forward
22:54
Speaker 1: and kissed his hands with tears. Blessings on the heart
22:58
Speaker 1: that has guided and directed us. Stand back, my friend,
23:02
Speaker 1: Stand back, cried A gigantic man with an immense sledge
23:05
Speaker 1: hammer in his hand, Let me break the chain, and
23:08
Speaker 1: at a single blow he dashed the strong links to atoms.
23:12
Speaker 1: Now bring them all along, he cried. Now bring them
23:15
Speaker 1: all along. Take up the good man on the bed
23:17
Speaker 1: and carry him out. Bring them all along, Bring them
23:20
Speaker 1: all along, cried a thousand voices, and without being listened
23:25
Speaker 1: to in anything that she had to say claiments. Clinging
23:28
Speaker 1: as closely as she could to her attendant, was hurried
23:32
Speaker 1: out along the narrow passages of the prison, which were
23:35
Speaker 1: now flashing with manifold lights, into the dark little square,
23:38
Speaker 1: which was found filled with people. Multitudes of lights were
23:42
Speaker 1: in all the windows round and covering the prison. A
23:46
Speaker 1: strong band of men were drawn up, facing the opposite street.
23:50
Speaker 1: A number of persons on horseback were in front of
23:52
Speaker 1: the band, and by the lights which were flashing from
23:55
Speaker 1: the torches in the street, one commanding figure appeared to
23:59
Speaker 1: the eyes of Claim at the very moment she was
24:01
Speaker 1: brought forth from the doors of the prison, stretching out
24:04
Speaker 1: his hands towards the men behind him and shouting in
24:07
Speaker 1: a voice that she could never forget, though now that
24:10
Speaker 1: a voice was raised into tones of loud command such
24:13
Speaker 1: as she had never heard it. Choose hold hold. The
24:16
Speaker 1: man that fires a shot dies, not one unnecessary shot,
24:21
Speaker 1: not one unnecessary blow. Clement strove to turn that way,
24:26
Speaker 1: and to fly towards a hotel where Monsieur de Rouvray lodged,
24:30
Speaker 1: but she was borne away by the stream, which seemed
24:33
Speaker 1: to be now retreating from the town. At the same moment,
24:36
Speaker 1: an armed man laid gently hold of her cloak, seeing
24:40
Speaker 1: her efforts to free herself, and said, this way, lady,
24:43
Speaker 1: this way. It is madness for you to think to
24:45
Speaker 1: go back. Now you are with friends, You are with
24:48
Speaker 1: one who will protect you with his life for your
24:51
Speaker 1: kindness to the murdered and the lost. She turned round
24:55
Speaker 1: to gaze upon him, not recollecting his voice, and his
24:58
Speaker 1: face in the indistinct light seemed to her like a
25:01
Speaker 1: face remembered in a dream, connected with the awful scene
25:05
Speaker 1: of the preaching on the moor, and the dark piece
25:08
Speaker 1: of water, and the dying girl killed by the shot
25:10
Speaker 1: of the dragoons. Ere she could ask any questions. However,
25:14
Speaker 1: the stream of people hurried her on, and in a
25:17
Speaker 1: few minutes she was out of Tua and in the
25:20
Speaker 1: midst of the open country round. End of chapter twenty
25:25
Speaker 1: seven