"'No, Perrot. I must go alone. Do you stay here.'
"'But, Monseigneur—'
"'I wish it so,' said he.
"It was useless to protest further, when he spoke thus, and Perrot therefore remained silent. The count took our hands.
"'Adieu, my dear friends,' said he; 'no, not adieu! au revoir'
"And then he went away, calmly and with a firm step, as if he were going to return in a quarter of an hour.
"Perrot said not a word; but as soon as his master was out of the house, he too took down his cloak and his sword. We didn't exchange a word, and I made no attempt to prevent his going; he did but his duty in following the count, though it were to his death. He held out his arms to me, and I threw myself weeping into them; then having kissed me most tenderly, he followed Monsieur de Montgommery's footsteps. All this had not taken a minute, and we had not exchanged one word.
"Left alone, I fell upon a chair, sobbing and praying. The rain outside was falling with redoubled violence, and the wind was howling dismally. But you, Monseigneur Gabriel, you had fallen off again into a peaceful sleep, from which you were to awake an orphan."