Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

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,'iins been carried off,' he said in a hoarse voice. 'We must
,or die.' 'I follow I
you,' cried, but wit
\:-..\r in "We went down stairs together. As soon as she saw uu,
te de Miilpeiro threw herself on her knees before her
my heart. The word larodj passed my lipa husband, and in a voice broken by sobs cried out,
' when my'eyes fell on a letter, wliie.h w:is lying on a table in a I cannot, I will not abandon her.
corner o't' the room. I it
pointed out to Madame do Malpeire, poor, deluded child. You must
' M. i
You must take pity on that
let me fo to her ; it is my
duty, it is my right. I must s i vo her from that norrible wr
.' my
who seized it and exclaimed, 'Head, Monsieur, read. It is
daughter's handwriting ; it is directed to yon.'
" The Baron opened the letter, and an appalling change
came over his face. He read it to the end, gave it into my
hand, staggered, and fell heavily on the floor. His wife knelt
by him and called wildly for help. The servants came rushing
in. By the time he recovered his senses I had read these
words :
not afraid of poverty with him ; his hardy
labor. He will share with me the bread earned by the sweat of
hia brow. If I fly with him to the honorable shelter of
his virtuous parents' roof, it is because an odious tyrannical
despotism has driven me to this extremity. It
is to escape the horrible misery of being
forced in-
to a m vrriiige I abhor. Oil that account I claimed his protection
and placed myself under his care. Do not think that
you ot.n drag' me from the refuge I have chosen. Thousands
of t-trong arms and brave hearts will encircle tlie peasant's
bri ie, and save the noble's daughter from the tynnny which
would constrain her to wed a man she does not love. If you
would save my honor, if you would secure for the child you
or.