Hullin turned to his followers, and said to them simply: "You have heard? For my part, I refuse but I will submit if every one else accepts the proposition of the enemy?"
"We all refuse!" said Jerôme.
"Yes—yes, all!" repeated the others.
Catherine Lefévre, hitherto inflexible, happening to look at Louise, seemed touched; she took her by the arm, and turning to the envoy, she said:
"We have a child with us; would there be no means of sending her to one of our relations at Saverne?"
No sooner had Louise heard these words, than throwing herself into Hullin's arms, with a sort of terror, she exclaimed:
"No—no! I will stay with you, Papa Jean-Claude. I will die with you!"
"'Tis well, sir," said Hullin, quite pale; "go tell your General what you have seen; tell him that the Falkenstein will remain with us till death! Kasper, Frantz, lead back the envoy."
The officer seemed to hesitate; but as he was opening his mouth to speak, Catherine, quite livid with rage, exclaimed: