"Certainly, noble lady. It is by order of the governor-general. The Lady Matilda de Bethune must accompany us without delay. You need be under no apprehension, however, as to the treatment she will receive; for I pledge you my honor that not a wOrd shall be addressed to her otherwise than as beseems her rank."
"Oh, sir," replied Maria, "I wonder to see you employed on such an errand; for I have always heard you spoken of as an honorable knight."
"I can assure you, lady, that the employment is not to my taste; but, as a soldier, I have no choice but punctually to obey the orders of my general. Be pleased, therefore, to bring down to us the Lady Matilda; we can delay no longer, and you must yourself see that escape is hopeless."
Maria did, in fact, see too plainly that the blow was neither to be evaded nor resisted, and had she yielded to her fears she would have wrung her hands in despair; but she had sufficient self-command to suppress her feelings before the stranger, though as her eye lighted on the Fleming, who stood by in one corner of the hall, her whole countenance assumed an expression of ineffable contempt. Master Brakels's heart quailed beneath that look of scorn; he trembled too for the vengeance which he saw hanging over his head, and retreating a few steps, seemed as though about to make his escape by the doorway.
"Keep an eye on yonder Fleming, that he does not give us the slip," cried De Cressines to his men; "after betraying his own friends, he may likely enough play us false too."
In an instant Brakels was roughly seized by the arm, and dragged into the midst of the soldiers, who seemed to take delight in showing their contempt of the traitor, even while they were profiting by his treachery.
Meanwhile Maria had again ascended the stairs; and with heavy heart entered the chamber of her young friend. For a moment she stood in silence before the bed, and contemplated the unhappy Matilda as she slept—slept indeed profoundly, yet not peacefully. Her breath came heavily and hurriedly; ever and anon, with a convulsive motion of her hand, she seemed striving to repel some threatening vision; and amid many inarticulate sounds might be distinguished the oft-repeated name of Adolf, which she uttered in the tone of one who calls for help in danger.
Tears flowed from Maria's eyes; for the spectacle moved her innermost heart, which was still more deeply touched by the thought of the sad awakening so soon to follow. But, painful as it was to be the bearer of evil tidings, there was no time to be lost; a few moments' delay might fill the chamber with rude soldiers. To spare her friend a worse shock, she must hasten to startle her from her slumber; taking, therefore, Matilda's hand, she roused her with the words:
"Awake! awake! dear friend; I have that to say to you which will not brook delay."
At Maria's first touch the maiden started from her sleep in alarm, opened wide her eyes, and regarded her friend with mingled doubt and terror.
"Is it you, Maria?" she exclaimed, hastily passing her hand over her eyelids; "what brings you to me at this strange hour?"
"My poor friend!" cried Maria, bursting into tears, "you must get up and let me dress you. Nerve yourself as best you can, and above all make haste. A great misfortune has befallen you."
In her bewilderment Matilda rose from her bed, fixing a look of anxious inquiry upon Maria, who immediately began dressing her, sobbing bitterly the while, and making no answer to the terrified girl's repeated Questions, till, at the moment of handing her a long riding-dress, with a painful effort she said:
"You are about to take a journey, dear Matilda! May St. George protect and keep you!"
"What means this, my Maria? Ah, now I see what lot awaits me! My sad dream, then, was a true one; for, even as you woke me, methought I was being carried off to France, to Joanna of Navarre. Now is all hope gone from me! never again shall I behold my beloved Flanders! And you, my father, never again, in this world, shall you embrace your child!"
Overcome with grief, Maria had sunk into a chair; her voice inarticulate with sobs, was unable to offer a word of comfort, when she felt her neck encircled by Matilda's arms, and heard her tender accents sounding in her ear:
"Weep not for me, sweet friend. Sorrow upon sorrow is nothing new to my sad heart; and for the house of Flanders there is left no joy, not even peace."
"Oh hapless, yet ever noble girl!" Maria at last found words to say; "you know not that the French soldiers who are to carry you hence already guard the house!"
At these words Matilda turned pale, and an evident shudder passed over her frame. "Soldiers!" she exclaimed, "am I then to be exposed to the insolence of ruffian hirelings? Save me, my Maria!
Oh God! that I might now die! My father! my father! you know not what insults are offered to your blood!"
"Be not thus terrified, my Matilda; their leader is a good knight and a noble gentleman."
"The fated hour, then, is come. I must leave you, Maria; and the wicked Joanna will cast me, too, into a dungeon. Be it so; there is a Judge in Heaven, and He will not forget me!"
"Quick, now, and put on the riding-dress; for I hear the soldiers approaching."
While Matilda was fastening her dress about her, the door opened, and the waiting-maid entered.
"Madam," she said, addressing herself to Maria, "the French knight desires to know whether the Lady Matilda is yet ready, and whether it is permitted him to present himself
