The bumping of the boat against the landing-place shook him out of his musings.The sinister hubbub still resounded through the city.The unknown rose，advanced to the girl，and made as if to help her ashore；but she evaded him，and laid hold of Gringoire's sleeve；whereat he，in turn，being fully occupied with the goat，almost repulsed her.She accordingly sprang ashore by herself，but in such a state of fear and bewilderment that she knew not what she did or whither she was going.She stood thus a moment，stupefied，gazing down at the swift flowing water.When she some-what recovered her senses，she found herself alone on the landing-stage with the unknown man.Gringoire had apparently availed himself of the moment of their going ashore to vanish with the goat among the labyrinth of houses of the Rue Grenier sur l'Eau.
The poor little gipsy shuddered to find herself alone with this man.She strove to speak，to cry out，to call to Gringoire，but her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth，and no sound issued from her lips.Suddenly she felt the hand of the unknown grasp hers—a cold，strong hand.Her teeth chattered，she turned paler than the moonbeams that shone upon her.The man said not a word，but strode away in the direction of the Place de Grève，still holding her firmly by the hand.At that moment she had a dim sense of the irresistible force of destiny.All power of will forsook her；she let him drag her along，running to keep pace with him：the ground at this part of the quay rose somewhat，but to her they seemed to be rushing down an incline.
She looked on all sides—not a single passenger to be seen；the quay was absolutely deserted.She heard no sound，she perceived no sign of life save in the glaring and tumultuous city，from which she was only separated by an arm of the river，and from which her own name reached her coupled with shouts of death.All the rest of Paris lay around her shadowy and silent as the grave.
Meanwhile the stranger was dragging her along in the same silence and at the same rapid pace.She had no recollection of any of the streets they traversed.Passing a lighted window she made a last effort，and stopping suddenly，screamed，'Help！'
The citizen at the window opened it，and showing himself in his night-shirt and a lamp in his hand，looked out stupidly on to the quay，muttered a few words which she could not catch，and closed his shutter once more.Her last ray of hope was extinguished.
The man in black proffered no remark；he held her fast and quickened his pace.She offered no further resistance，but followed him limp and hopeless.
From time to time she gathered sufficient strength to ask in a voice broken by the roughness of the pavement and the breathless haste of their motion：'Who are you？Who are you？'But there was no reply.
In this manner they presently reached an open square of considerable size.The moon shone faintly out；a sort of black cross was dimly visible standing in the middle.It was a gibbet.She saw this，and in a flash knew where she was.It was the Place de Grève.
The man stood still，turned towards her and lifted his hood.'Oh，'she stammered，petrified with horror，'I knew it must be he！'
It was the priest.He looked like a wraith in the spectral moonlight.
'Listen，'said he；and she shivered at the sound of the ill-omened voice that she had not heard for so long.'Listen，'he went on，speaking with that broken and gasping utterance which bespeaks the profoundest inward upheaval.'We have arrived at our destination.I would speak with thee.This is the Grève；we have reached the extreme limit.Fate has delivered each of us into the hand of the other.Thou shalt have the disposing of my soul；I，of thy life.Here is a place and an hour beyond which there is no seeing.Listen to me，then.I will tell thee—but first，name not thy P us to me.（And while he spoke thus he paced to and fro，like a man incapable of standing still，dragging her with him.）Speak not of him！Mark me，if thou utterest his name，I know not what I shall do，but it will be something terrible.'
Having relieved his mind of this，he stood motionless，like a body finding its centre of gravity.But his agitation was in nowise diminished；his voice sank deeper and deeper.
'Turn not away from me thus.Hear me；'tis a matter of the utmost import.First，this is what has happened—'tis no laughing matter，I warrant！What was I saying？Remind me！Ah—there is a decree of Parliament delivering thee over to execution again.I have but now succeeded in rescuing thee out of their hands.But they are on thy track.Behold！'
He stretched his arm towards the city，where，in truth，the search seemed to be eagerly prosecuted.The noise of it drew nearer.The tower of the lieutenant's house opposite the Grève was full of lights and bustle，and they could see soldiers running about the opposite quay with torches in their hands，shouting，'The gipsy！Where is the gipsy？Death to her！death！'
'Thou seest plainly，'resumed the priest，'that they are in pursuit of thee and that I lie not.Oh，I love thee.Nay，speak not，open not thy lips，if it be to tell me that thou hatest me.I am resolved not to hear that again.I have just saved thee.Let me finish what I have to say.I can save thee altogether；I have prepared everything.It remains for thee to desire it.As thou wilt，so I can do.'
He interrupted himself vehemently.'No，that is not what I should have said！'
With a hurried step，and making her hasten too，for he had retained his grasp of her arm，he walked straight to the gibbet，and pointing to it：
'Choose between us，'he said coldly.
She wrenched herself from his grasp and fell at the foot of the gibbet，clasping her arms round that grim pillar；and，half turning her beautiful head，gazed at the priest over her shoulder.It might have been a Madonna at the foot of the Cross.The priest had remained transfixed，his finger pointing to the gibbet，motionless as a statue.
At last the gipsy spoke：'This is less abhorrent to me than you are.'