ESCAPE FROM THE GUILLOTINE. 315 



this terrible information she returned to us, and the scene which took 

 place was truly heart-rending ; she tore her hair beat her breast 

 called herself her husband's destroyer and vented curses on the 

 beauty which had murdered him ; lastly, throwing herself on her 

 knees before my sister, she implored her to save her husband's life. 

 I never shall forget the astonishment with which I gazed on my 

 sister, as she said calmy 



" I cannot save his life it is for you to accomplish that." " I !" 

 she cried wistfully, " Oh ! if I knew how ; tell me what can I do 

 to save him ? " 



" Return to N ," replied she collectedly, " and say you consent 



to his proposal!" 



We were positively aghast, and before a word could be said, she 

 continued " If you will be guided by me, you shall suffer no dis- 

 honour. Go to N , I repeat say that when your husband has 



his passport in his hands, and you see him, from his windows if he 

 pleases, parting from death and danger, you will resign yourself into 

 his hands ! trust to me for the rest, and now begone/' Such an 

 influence had Maria over her weaker friend, that without another 

 word to any one, she departed. Half an hour had passed ere she 

 returned ; pale and ghastly she entered the apartment, and sought, 

 by a flood of tears, to ease her over-burdened heart. 



The morning came, and after a long interview with my sister, 

 during which I was not present, she departed with a kind of cheer- 

 fulness, that raised suspicions in my mind of her sanity. I watched 

 her from the window which overlooked the prison, until she entered 

 the gate, and when it closed upon her, I thought it would be for 



ever 



Three months after, we were the inhabitants of another soil, re- 

 fugees from our country, sharing the same roof with those whose 

 sufferings had endeared them to us, these were M. and Madame de 

 Pouilli, the story of their escape is short. 



On the morning of her departure to the prison, after her interview 

 with my sister, who gave her advice as to the only course left her, 

 she visited the monster N , who was highly pleased at her unex- 

 pected compliance, and every thing was done as she dictated. Night 

 saw her husband with his passport, in a post carriage on the road to 

 England, and in a few hours his wife joined him he having, by a 

 preconcerted understanding waited for her on the road. 



The next morning spread the news of N , having been found 



stabbed in his apartment by some unknown hand ; my sister's advice 

 secret advice was now no longer a mystery ! 



