Milady sprang out of bed and opened the window. Two bars removed made an opening large enough for a man to pass through.
“Are you ready？” asked Felton.
“Yes. Must I take anything with me？”
“Money， if you have any.”
“Yes； fortunately they have left me all I had.”
“So much the better， for I have expended all mine in hiring a vessel.”
“Here！” said milady， placing a bag full of louis in Felton’s hands. Felton took the bag and threw it to the foot of the wall.
“Now，” said he， “will you come？”
“I am here.”
Milady climbed on a chair， and leaned the upper part of her body through the window. She saw the young officer suspended over the abyss by a rope ladder. For the first time a feeling of terror reminded her that she was a woman. The dark space frightened her.
“I expected this，” said Felton.
“Oh， it’s nothing， it’s nothing！” said milady； “I will descend with my eyes shut.”
“Have you confidence in me？” said Felton.
“Can you ask me such a question？”
“Put your two hands together. Cross them； that’s right！”
Felton fastened her two wrists together with a handkerchief， and then tied a cord over the handkerchief.
“What are you doing？” asked milady in surprise.
“Put your arms round my neck， and fear nothing.”
“But I shall make you lose your balance， and we shall both be dashed to pieces.”
“Don’t be afraid. I am a sailor.”
Not a second was to be lost. Milady put her arms round Felton’s neck， and let herself slip out of the window.
Felton began to descend the ladder slowly， step by step. In spite of the weight of their bodies， the blast of the hurricane made them swing to and fro in the air.
“Now，” said Felton， “we are safe！”
Milady breathed a deep sigh and fainted.
Felton continued to descend. When he reached the bottom of the ladder， and found no more support for his feet， he clung to it with his hands. At length， coming to the last round， he hung by his hands and touched the ground. He stooped down， picked up the bag of money， and took it in his teeth.
Then he seized milady in his arms， and set off briskly in the direction opposite to the one the patrol had taken. He soon left the beat， climbed across the rocks， and when he reached the shore of the sea， whistled.
A similar signal replied to him， and five minutes after a boat appeared， rowed by four men.
“To the sloop，” said Felton， “and give way lively.”
A black speck was rocking on the sea. It was the sloop.
While the boat was advancing with all the speed its four oarsmen could give it， Felton untied the cord， and then the handkerchief that bound milady’s hands together.
They drew near to the sloop. A sailor on watch hailed the boat； the boat replied.
“What vessel is this？” asked milady.
“One I hired for you.”
“Where is it going to carry me？”
“Wherever you please， after you have landed me at Portsmouth.”
“What are you going to do at Portsmouth？” asked milady.
“Fulfil Lord Winter’s orders，” said Felton， with a gloomy smile.
“What orders？” insisted milady.
“Do you not understand？” asked Felton.
“No； explain yourself， I beg of you.”
“As he mistrusted me， he determined to guard you himself， and sent me in his place to get Buckingham to sign the order for your transportation.”
“But if he mistrusted you， how could he confide such an order to you？”
“Could I be supposed to know what I was the bearer of？”
“True！ And you are going to Portsmouth？”
“I have no time to lose. To-morrow is the 23rd， and Buckingham sets sail to-morrow with his fleet.”
“He sets sail to-morrow！ Where for？”
“For Rochelle.”
“He must not sail！” cried milady， forgetting her usual presence of mind.
“Do not worry！” replied Felton； “he will not sail.”
Milady started with joy. She had just read to the depths of this young man’s heart： Buckingham’s death was written there at full length.
“Felton，” cried she， “you are as great as Judas Maccab？us！ If you die， I will die with you； that is all I can say to you.”
“Silence！” cried Felton； “we are here.”
In fact they were grazing the sloop.
Felton climbed up the ladder first， and gave milady his hand， while the sailors supported her， for the sea was still very turbulent.
An instant after they were on the deck.
“Captain，” said Felton， “this is the lady of whom I spoke to you， and whom you must convey safe and sound to France.
“In the meanwhile，” he continued， “convey me to the little bay of—； you know it was agreed you should put in there.”
The captain replied by ordering the necessary man？uvres， and toward seven o’clock in the morning the little vessel was casting anchor in the designated bay.
During this passage Felton related everything to milady—how， instead of going to London， he had hired the little vessel； how he had returned； how he had scaled the wall by fastening cramps in the interstices of the stones as he ascended， to give him foothold； and how， when he had reached the bars， he fastened his ladder. Milady knew the rest.
Milady tried to encourage Felton in his project， but at the first words that issued from her mouth she plainly saw that the young fanatic stood more in need of being moderated than urged on.
It was agreed that milady should wait for Felton till ten o’clock. If he did not return by ten o’clock， she was to sail without him.
Then， in case he was free， he was to rejoin her in France， at the convent of the Carmelites， at Béthune.
