'Put up also a prayer for me, Jeanné!'
She started back, and uttered a piercing shriek. A man stood before her, in whom she recognized Gregers Daa, whose countenance in the bluish moonlight looked even paler than usual, and whose smile was sweet, placid, and resigned as it had ever been.
Jeanné thought herself lost; she fell at his feet, and stretched out her clasped hands towards him, while she exclaimed:
'Oh, forgive me! Do not condemn me. I am not so guilty as you must think--if you only understood me--if you only knew all--'
'Hush, my dear child!' whispered Gregers, in a voice that was full of grief, but mild and consoling. 'Do not weep so bitterly; I know all, and it is you who do not understand me. You have never understood me aright. Let us go in now.'
He assisted the pale, trembling young woman up to her apartment, and then retired to his own study.
The next morning, Gregers, attended by his servant, had started on his journey before Jeanné was awake.
III.
THE BATTLE.
One dark December evening, about a month after the general's departure from home, the Danish army had encamped in the vicinity of Gadebusk. In spite of the darkness and the rough weather, there seemed to be an unusual stir and activity in the camp that evening, which betokened that something of importance was about to happen.