"All right," he said; "only don't be longer than you can help; I have a boat waiting to take me off again."
In a few minutes the window, which extended down to the ground, opened, and the two girls stepped out.
"Isn't it very dangerous your landing, Peter," the younger one said, "now that your people are at war with us?"
"That is to say, at war with your enemies, Julie. No, I don't think that there is any danger in it. Did you notice a schooner coming along the coast at ten o'clock this morning?"
"Yes," the girls answered together, "a French schooner."
"Well, she was French, but just at present she is British, and is tender to the Tartar, and I am in command of her. Now what I have come ashore for is to arrange for you to make signals to us if you want either to see me or to come on board with your mother. I know that it is hopeless to expect your father to accompany you."
"There is no hope of that," she said. "Since the king's murder he has been worse than ever. I do think that he is going out of his mind. Nothing would induce him to fly. He has armed all the servants, and declares that he will defend the château till the last."
"It is most unfortunate, Julie, for only one end can come of it; the place is not defensible for a moment. I suppose that there is no hope of persuading your mother and you to come at once."
"Not in the least, and we would not ask her," the elder girl replied. "We are de Vignerolles too, and if our father thinks it right to remain here, we shall certainly do so. We can die as hundreds of other noble ladies have done."