It was on the first landing of the
staircase, and was therefore distant from the ground but little more
than half the height of the ground floor, but a hard gravel path ran
immediately under it; and though the leap was one which few young men
might much hesitate to take with empty arms, it was perilous with such
a burden as Henri had to carry. He however did not think twice about it,
and would have considered himself and his charge nearly safe could he
have reached the window unmolested, but that he was not allowed to do.
As he began to descend the stairs the loud noise of the troopers' boots,
and the quick voice of Westerman giving his commands in the hall, told
him at once that the house was already occupied by the blues. Even then,
at that awful moment, he rejoiced at his precaution in having desired
de Lescure to close the garden door. He took a large horse pistol from
his belt, and holding it by the barrel, jumped down three stairs at a
time, and already had his foot on the sill of the open window, when
serjeant Craucher, who had been the first of the blues to enter the
house, rushing up the stairs, succeeded in getting hold of the cloak
which covered Marie.
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