“I will come with you,” she said.
“No, don’t. Stay and take care of the house, and do not tell anyone that I have been here.”
“Since you will return to the country,” she said, “make haste and get away before they close the gates: it is already late.”
“If they should be shut, the gate-keeper will do anything for me and he will open them again.”
With these words he left, and when he came to the gate, he found it closed, and, beg and pray as he might, the gate-keeper would not open it for him.
He was very annoyed that he should have to return to his house, for he feared the sergeants; nevertheless, he was obliged to go back, or sleep in the streets.
He went back, and knocked at the door, and the woman who had again sat down with her lover, was much surprised, but she jumped up, and ran to the door, and called out,
“My husband has not come back; you are wasting your time.”
“Open the door, my dear,” said the good man. “I am here.”
“Alas! alas! the gate was closed: I feared as much,” she said. “You will certainly be arrested; I see no hope for escape, for the sergeants told me, I now remember, that they would return to-night.”