Page:Clermont - Roche (1798, volume 4).djvu/319

 of their fate gave to de Sevignie, but from a hope that they might be able to extricate themselves from his power, and regain the fugitives.

De Sevignie was sinking beneath the horrors of despair, when the subterraneous chambers were mentioned by the officers; thither he directly fled, and there discovered the objects of his search; from thence he bore the senseless Madeline to the parlour, which was cleared for her reception. Oh! how utterly impossible to describe her feelings when, on recovering, she perceived de Sevignie—when, as he pressed her to his throbbing heart, from his lips she received an assurance of her safety and her father's: but great as was the rapture of those feelings, it was faint compared to that which she experienced on being informed of the existence of Philippe. At first she doubted the reality of what she heard, and accused de Sevignie of an intention of deceiving her; then besought him, if he wished to be cre-