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A panic-stricken servant brought the Count de Linieres tidings of the people's victory. "Fly, monsieur! Fly, madame!" he cried. "The troops are overthrown, the Bastille surrounded, before nightfall the mob will surely attack here and try to kill your excellencies. Fly, I implore you!"
Countess de Linieres loved the Chevalier as if he were her own son. Quickly she shot the youth a warning look to prevent if possible a verbal passage of arms. But it was already too late. "My sword is my King's," flashed the handsome youth resolutely, "but my will must remain my own! "I will go to His Majesty," he continued passionately.
Pray God Louise might be saved , yes! and her foster-sister Henrietta, beloved of the Chevalier Henriette whom her husband had branded by unjust accusation.... The de Linieres party succeeded in evading the fate of numbers of the runaway aristocrats, who were bodily pulled out of their coaches and trampled upon or strung up by the infuriated mobs.
Vainly the Countess de Linieres entreated for mercy. They dragged the girl downstairs. Here again she made a frantic appeal and wild effort to join her blind charge, who was being hurried away in the vise-like grip of La Frochard. "Oh, for Heaven's sake, have pity let me go to my sister, or I shall lose her again!"
And here where the orphans' eventful epoch becomes entwined with the lives of the great and with the darkening storm and impending passion of the Revolution it is well to acquaint our readers further with the de Vaudreys. Count de Linieres of Touraine had been married many years before the date of this story to Mlle. de Vaudrey, the heiress of a great fortune.
"I'll be down in one instant!" She rushed past the Countess across the room and flung wide the door, on the very brink of happiness. But a troop of guards stood there to her astonished gaze. The Count de Linieres, standing at their head, pronounced her name as if reading a warrant: "Henrietta Girard!"
She told the story of her abduction and the loss of her sister, then of Chevalier de Vaudrey's vain efforts and hers to trace her. The Countess de Linieres leaned forward in intense sympathy conjoined with a certain weird premonition. "She isn't really my sister," went on Henriette, "but I owe her the love of a mother and sister combined. She saved us from want and death.
The strong man, whom neither the fate of Maurice nor of Henriette had melted, was crying. Gently he lifted up the Countess and clasped her sobbing in his arms. "If you had only told me before " was the only word to which he could give utterance. The hellish aspect of his persecutions now stood revealed. Count de Linieres, in the act of divine forgiveness, resolved to undo wrongs.
Yes, indeed she is the precious and the youngest of seven. Charity, charity! In the name of God, charity!" she sniffled. Reluctantly Countess de Linieres stifled the impulse to mother this kindred and hapless young being, averred to be the beggar's daughter. She placed a golden louis on the palm of the singer, saying: "Give this to your mother, child."
Nor is it in our power to release you from here. But we shall get up a petition signed by all of us for your reprieve, very likely Count de Linieres will not venture to refuse it " Henriette was overjoyed even with this slender resource, and warmly thanked them. At once her busy little brain laid plans for invading the lair of the Frochards.
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