“It would be useless, sir. I swear to you I am not deceived. I heard him, and saw him, distinctly.”
“Then go and show him in.”
Victor turned tremblingly to the door, opened it, and then standing still in the room, said—
“Will monsieur be kind enough to come in?”
I immediately heard the footsteps of my visitor crossing the ante-chamber, and sure enough, at the door there appeared M. de Franchi.
I confess that I was terrified, and took a step backwards as he approached.
“I trust you will excuse my appearance so late,” said my visitor; “I only arrived ten minutes ago, and you will understand that I could not wait till tomorrow without seeing you.”
“Oh, my dear Lucien,” I exclaimed, advancing quickly, and embracing him. “Then it is really you.” And, in spite of myself, tears really came into my eyes.
“Yes,” he said, “it is I.”
I made a calculation of the time that had elapsed, and could scarcely imagine that he had received the letter—it could hardly have reached Ajaccio yet.