Port
Royal?' and snatching the veil which the abbess had put on her own head,
she tore it off and flung it in a corner.

'Put madame out,' said madame d'Estrees, turning to the gentlemen with
her, and Angelique, who did not resist, was at once thrust out of the
door and into a carriage that was waiting. In an instant the carriage
was covered with novices as with a swarm of flies. The wheels, the
rumble, the coach-box, all were full of them; it was astonishing how
they got there in their heavy, cumbrous clothes. Madame d'Estrees called
to the coachman to whip up the horses, but he, perhaps enjoying the
scene, replied that if he moved he was certain to crush somebody. Then
Angelique left the coach, and the novices got down from their perches
and stood around her.

Finding that this plan had failed, madame d'Estrees ordered one of her
lackeys to stand at the gate of the abbey and to allow Angelique, her
two sisters, and the two Port Royal nuns to pass out, but no one else.
She herself took hold of Angelique, who was nearly torn in half between
her friends and enemies, and pulled her out of the gate, all the novices
pressing behind her. The moment the rival abbesses had passed through a
strong young novice seized hold of madame d'Estrees and forced her to
the ground, keeping her there until every one of her companions was on
the outside. It was in vain that the lackey tried to stop them.

'If you attempt to shut that door we will squeeze you to death,' cried
they, and each in turn gave the door behind which he stood a good push!

At length they were outside, and were walking quietly down the road to
Pontoise, where they took refuge in a church, till the inhabitants,
hearing of their arrival, placed all they had at their disposal.

Great was the indignation of the king and the abbot when, next morning,
a letter from mere Angelique informed them of what had happened.
Instantly a warrant was issued for the arrest of madame d'Estrees, and a
large body of archers was sent off post-haste to Maubuisson in order to
carry it out. But the abbess had received warning of her danger, and was
not to be found, though her flight was so hurried that on searching her
rooms the captain discovered several important papers that she had
left behind her. Her friend, madame de la Serre, took refuge in a
cupboard, which was concealed by tapestry, high up in a wall. The dust
seems to have got into her nose, and she sneezed, and in this manner
b