“A duke!” exclaimed Plessis, opening his eyes with astonishment.  “A duke and peer!  Why, they only told me that she was the daughter of some turncoat, who would betray them, they feared, if they had not his daughter in pawn.”

“They deceived you!” replied Wilton—­“she is the daughter of the Duke of Gaveston.  But I have no time to discuss such points with you.  Instantly do what you are told.  Get the man out of the way quietly; give the lady up into my hands, as you are hereby formally required to do, or I immediately quit the house, raise the hue and cry, and in less than an hour this place shall be surrounded by a hundred men.”

Plessis hesitated no longer.  “Force majeure!” he cried.  “Force majeure!  No one can resist that.  What am I to do?  I will act exactly according to your bidding.  You are witness, madam, that I yield to compulsion.”

“Yes, Monsieur Plessis,” replied the Lady Helen, “lawful compulsion.”

“Well, Plessis, do as I bid you, at once,” replied the Captain.  “Get the man down into the brandy cellar, quickly!—­I saw the door open as I passed—­and either lock him in or let me do it.”

“You are a tall man, and I am a small man,” replied Plessis—­“I have not the gift of turning keys, Captain.  I’ll send him down, however;” and taking a Venice glass from the mantelpiece, he went to the little vestibule at the top of the stairs, and called to the man who was sitting in the corridor beyond.

“Here, Harrison,” he said—­“I wish you’d go down and get the gentleman a glass of brandy out of the cellar.  The door’s open.  Make haste, and don’t drink any—­there’s a good fellow.”

The tone in which Master Plassis spoke showed that he was no bad actor when well prompted.  The man, who was completely deceived, came forward without the slightest hesitation, took the glass out of his hand, and went down stairs.

The moment he had passed, Plessis put in his head, and beckoned with his finger to the Captain, who ran down after the other in a moment, leaving the door open, and Plessis listening beyond, with some slight apprehension.  That apprehension was increased, by hearing a word or two spoken sharply, a struggle, and the sound of glass falling and being broken.  Wilton sprang out of the room to aid his companion; but at that moment there was the sound of a door banged sharply to, a key turned, and he met the Captain coming up the stairs laughing aloud.

“By Heaven, the fellow had nearly bolted,” he said.  “But there he is now, safe enough, and I dare say will find means to console himself with Master Plessis’s brandy casks.  He might have made himself quite comfortable if he hadn’t dropped the glass, like a fool.—­Now, Plessis,” he continued, entering the room, “go for the lady as quick as lightning.  Let us lose no time, but make sure of the business while we can; and I dare say, if you get yourself into any little scrape soon—­as indubitably you will, for you never can expect to die unhanged—­this gentleman will speak a good word for you to those who can get your neck out of the noose before it is drawn too tight.  Come, make haste, man! or we may all get into trouble.”