Page:Marquis de Sade - Adelaide of Brunswick.djvu/47

 much confusion that it was possible for the princess to escape the chains which bound her.

Frightful cries were heard in all parts of the fortress. Disorder and confusion reigned through the whole building. All this commotion caused the princess and Bathilda to open the door of their apartment. What a spectacle! The whole castle was on fire. Swirls of smoke were pouring from all the windows of the towers, and sounds of pitiful cries were heard from all sides.

The princess who at that moment was getting ready to go to bed threw herself half dressed into the arms of Bathilda who led her quickly down some steps, and in a short time had taken her out of this place of horror. Nobody in this moment of alarm thought of troubling their flight, and they soon reached the outer gates of the fortress which were no longer guarded because the soldiers had all run to try to put out the flames.

"Let's flee," said Adelaide. "Let's hasten to take advantage of this misfortune which gives us the means of getting away."

"Oh, Milady," cried Bathilda, "my father is in danger. Can I abandon him in these circumstances? Let me at least embrace him and receive orders from him."

Then, without waiting for an answer, Bathilda ran through the flames to look for and to help her father. She soon found him busy with his duties.

"Father," she cried throwing herself into his arms, "tell me what I must do."

"Flee, my daughter," answered the major, "flee immediately, and save the princess from the dangers which she runs, and then bring her back here later if you can. Those are my orders and my good-byes, if we don't see each other again. I cannot give you any of the soldiers to escort you since they are all busy. Ah, this terrible event is going to ruin us all."

Then Bathilda in tears returned hastily to the princess. Scarcely had they crossed the last moat of the fortress, when a man came up to them and invited them to flee with him from the dangers which might result from such a fatal event.

"I am here," said the unknown man, "because I accompanied the carriage which has just brought the Count of Mersburg to Torgau. If you will get in, I will be glad to take you to the