be recalled."

"It's impossible, impossible," cried the master, wringing his hands; and
he glanced anxiously, from time to time, through the window, through
which a far distant reddish light was beginning to illuminate the room.
"They have already fired the house of the headsman."

"What!" cried Maria beside herself.

"That was to be the beginning of it. It is impossible now to hold them
back any longer."

"Oh, fools and madmen!" hissed the lady. Her immediate impulse was to
rush from the room. At the door, however, she recovered her _sang
froid_, and, turning back, clutched Bodza by the arm and whispered in
his ear:

"There is now only one remaining way of gaining a complete victory."

"What is that?"

"We must revolt the county-town also. If we succeed we shall have the
General as a hostage, if we do not, at least we shall give the soldiers
something to do."

Thomas Bodza, with his teeth all chattering, approved of this project.
He would, however, have very much liked to know who would undertake this
dangerous enterprise.

Never had Maria had to exercise such self-control as now, when, gazing
through the window into the night, she watched with the utmost _sang
froid_ the distant conflagration which was lighting up the room.

For an instant the thought of what was happening there and what might be
happening elsewhere flashed through her brain. She saw vividly before
her all those midnight horrors, and all the time she had to affect an
enthusiastic interest in the affair.

"Numa Pompilius, we must make haste! Have you a good steed handy here?
Mine I have left behind on the road, it was no longer of any service to
me."

"Be it so, Fabius! It was my first care to seize all the post-horses in
order that the authorities should not send forth couriers for
assistance. You see that I am provident. Choose the best horse for
yourself and hasten whither you would. I entrust this province to you."

Bodza was magnanimous. The department of greatest danger and the glory
of conquest he entrusted to another.

"I will hasten," cried Maria, flinging open the door--and for some
moments she remained standing on the threshold. "Numa!" she cried at
last, "you would let me depart alone?"

"Why not?"

"You are making a mistake. The popular leaders might be suspicious.
Suppose they took me for a spy or a traitor? Never put your whole
confidence in a single person. Always send forth your emissaries in
couples, that one of