"And then, as I have said to you before, to the coast, to board the
Parroquet, which will lie off the island Saint Jerome three days from now
to carry us away into freedom. It is all arranged by our 'Underground
Railway.'"
"And you tell me all this—why?" the girl said falteringly.
"Because you said that you would not let a hunted fugitive starve; that you would give us horses, with which we could travel the Brocken Path across the hills. Here is the plan of the river that you drew; at this point is the King's Cave which you discovered, and is known only to yourself."
"I ought not to have given it to you; but—"
"Ah, you will not repent of a noble action, of a great good to me—
Marie?"
"Hush, monsieur. Indeed, you may not speak to me so. You forget. I am sorry for you; I think you do not deserve this—banishment; you are unhappy here; and I told you of the King's Cave-that was all."
"Ah no, that is not all! To be free, that is good; but only that I may be a man again; that I may love my art—and you; that I may once again be proud of France."
"Monsieur, I repeat, you must not speak so. Do not take advantage of my willingness to serve you."
"A thousand pardons! but that was in my heart, and I hoped, I hoped—"
"You must not hope. I can only know you as M. Laflamme, the—"