صفحة 618 من 896

"La Force! Lucie, my child, if ever you were brave and

serviceable in your life--and you were always both--you will

compose yourself now, to do exactly as I bid you; for more

depends upon it than you can think, or I can say. There is no

help for you in any action on your part to-night; you cannot

possibly stir out. I say this, because what I must bid you to do

for Charles's sake, is the hardest thing to do of all. You must

instantly be obedient, still, and quiet. You must let me put you

in a room at the back here. You must leave your father and me

alone for two minutes, and as there are Life and Death in the

world you must not delay."

"I will be submissive to you. I see in your face that you know I

can do nothing else than this. I know you are true."