to be thrown
to them were many who had suffered, or seen their dearest suffer,
hideous torture at his hands. Revenge, and such revenge as this, was
never dreamed of, never hoped for by them, and now that chance had
placed it within their reach they were almost mad for it. Shouting,
struggling, and raging they crowded the stair. A moment more, and De
Mouchy was lost; but it was then that Le Brusquet stayed them with a
jest, a grim jest that tickled their fancy, and arrested their
outstretched hands for a yet sweeter vengeance.

"A moment, my children!" he called out, barring the way at the head of
the stair; "one moment! We have a little business with monsieur here,
and after that you can make this house another Chambre Ardente if you
will."

They laughed and cheered him in their fickle mood, and as De Mouchy
heard too some choking words escaped from his blue lips, and he made a
forward movement, but at the sight of me he shrank back again, terror
and despair on his face, and, grovelling on the floor, wept for his
life.

This fiend, who had never shown mercy, now that his own time was come,
pleaded abjectly, pleaded with tears and miserable cries for the life
he had forfeited ten times over, and each frenzied appeal he made was
answered with mocking laughter by those who, crowded on the stair, were
waiting with patience, deadly patience, for the time when he would be
their very own.

I raised him to his feet, and in a few quick words asked him for
mademoiselle. He could not speak, but pointed to the door at his side.
It was closed, not locked, and, pushing it open, I dragged him through
after me. A cry of anger rose from those on the stair, who feared
their prey would escape, and, despite Le Brusquet's appeals, they were
no longer to be restrained. With a rush they bore back both Le
Brusquet and De Lorgnac, but keeping themselves between me and the
foremost of those who followed us, with alternate threats and appeals,
my brave friends enabled me to make headway. Down we went, along a
narrow passage, at one end of which was a door.

"There!" gasped De Mouchy. "Quick!"

Twice I put my shoulder to it, but in vain; and De Mouchy shrieked with
terror, for the mob was scarce ten feet from us, filling the passage.
But still De Lorgnac and Le Brusquet held them back at the sword's
point, and the way was so narrow that not more than three could stand
abreast therein.

"Stand back!" I heard Le Brusquet cry; "we