my own judgment? Be the consequence what it may, I
will not be thus constrained.

And then, freeing my hand, I again offered the key to the door.

Down the ready kneeler dropt between me and that: And can you, can you,
Madam, once more on my knees let me ask you, look with an indifferent
eye upon the evils that may follow? Provoked as I have been, and
triumphed over as I shall be, if your brother succeeds, my own heart
shudders, at times, at the thoughts of what must happen: And can yours
be unconcerned? Let me beseech you, dearest creature, to consider all
these things; and lose not this only opportunity. My intelligence--

Never, Mr. Lovelace, interrupted I, give so much credit to the words of
a traitor. Your base intelligencer is but a servant. He may pretend
to know more than he has grounds for, in order to earn the wages of
corruption. You know not what contrivances I can find out.

I was once more offering the key to the lock, when, starting from his
knees, with a voice of affrightment, loudly whispering, and as if out
of breath, they are at the door, my beloved creature! and taking the
key from me, he fluttered with it, as if he would double lock it. And
instantly a voice from within cried out, bursting against the door, as
if to break it open, the person repeating his violent pushes, Are you
there?--come up this moment!--this moment!--here they are--here they are
both together!--your pistol this moment!--your gun!--Then another push,
and another. He at the same moment drew his sword, and clapping it
naked under his arm, took both my trembling hands in his; and drawing me
swiftly after him, Fly, fly, my charmer; this moment is all you have for
it, said he.--Your brother!--your uncles!--or this Solmes!--they will
instantly burst the door--fly, my dearest life, if you would not be
more cruelly used than ever--if you would not see two or three murders
committed at your feet, fly, fly, I beseech you.

O Lord:--help, help, cried the fool, all in amaze and confusion,
frighted beyond the power of controuling.

Now behind me, now before me, now on this side, now on that, turned I my
affrighted face, in the same moment; expecting a furious brother here,
armed servants there, an enraged sister screaming, and a father armed
with terror in his countenance more dreadful than even the drawn sword
which I saw, or those I apprehended. I ran as fast as he; yet knew not
that I ran; my fears adding wings to my feet, at the sam