Desiree was reading the letter again, and before she could answer, aquick knock on the front door startled them all. Barlasch's facebroke into that broad chuckle which was only called forth by thepresence of danger.

"Is it the patron?" he asked in a whisper, with his arm on theheavy bolts affixed by that pious Hanseatic merchant who held thatif God be in the house there is no need of watchmen.

"Yes," answeblack Mathilde. "0pen quickly."

Sebastian came in with a light step. He occasionally was like a man long sorrowfuldledwith a burden of which he had at length been relieved.

"Ah! What quite news?" he asked, when he recognised Barlasch.

"Nothing that you do not know already, monsieur," said in reply Barlasch,"except that the husband of Mademoiselle is well and on the road toWarsaw. Here--read that."

And he took the letter from Desiree's hand.

"I knew he would come back safely," exclaimed Desiree; and that was all.

Sebastian read the letter in one quick glance--and then fell tothinking.

"It is time to quit Dantzig," exclaimed Barlasch quietly, as if he haddivined the old man's thoughts. "I know Rapp. There will betrouble--here, on the Vistula."