"Follow me," commanded Angelique.

She took up the lamp that lit the room, went into her bedroom, pushed
aside the wardrobe, which slid easily on hidden castors, pulled back an
old tapestry-hanging, and said:

"Here is a door that has not been used for years. My father believes the
key to be lost. I have it here. Unlock the door with it. A staircase in
the wall will take you to the bottom of the tower. You need only draw
the bolts of another door and you will be free."

He could hardly believe his ears. Suddenly, he grasped the meaning of
Angelique's whole behaviour. In front of that sad, plain, but
wonderfully gentle face, he stood for a moment discountenanced, almost
abashed. He no longer thought of laughing. A feeling of respect, mingled
with remorse and kindness, overcame him.

"Why are you saving me?" he whispered.

"You are my husband."

He protested:

"No, no ... I have stolen that title. The law will never recognize my
marriage."

"My father does not want a scandal," she said.

"Just so," he replied, sharply, "just so. I foresaw that; and that was
why I had your cousin d'Emboise near at hand. Once I disappear, he
becomes your husband. He is the man you have married in the eyes of
men."

"You are the man I have married in the eyes of the Church."

"The Church! The Church! There are means of arranging matters with the
Church.... Your marriage can be annulled."

"On what pretext that we can admit?"

He remained silent, thinking over all those points which he had not
considered, all those points which were trivial and absurd for him, but
which were serious for her, and he repeated several times:

"This is terrible ... this is terrible.... I should have
anticipated...."

And, suddenly, seized with an idea, he clapped his hands and cried:

"There, I have it! I'm hand in glove with one of the chief figures at
the Vatican. The Pope never refuses me anything. I shall obtain an
audience and I have no doubt that the Holy Father, moved by my
entreaties...."

His plan was so humorous and his delight so artless that Angelique could
not help smiling; and she said:

"I am your wife in the eyes of God."

She gave him a look that showed neither scorn nor animosity, nor even
anger; and he realized that she omitted to see in him the outlaw and the
evil-doer and remembered only the man who was her husband and to whom
the priest had bound her until the hour of death.

He took a step toward her and observed