“And now good-night. Sleep well!”
But, as the old cashier was leaving the room, his friend called him back:
“Sigismond.”
“Here!” said Sigismond, and he waited.
Risler blushed slightly and moved his lips like a man who is about to speak; then, with a mighty effort, he said:
“No, no-nothing. Good-night, old man.”
In the dining-room the brother and sister talked together a long while in low tones. Planus described the terrible occurrence of the evening, the meeting with Sidonie; and you can imagine the—“Oh! these women!” and “Oh! these men?” At last, when they had locked the little garden-door, Mademoiselle Planus went up to her room, and Sigismond made himself as comfortable as possible in a small cabinet adjoining.
About midnight the cashier was aroused by his sister calling him in a terrified whisper:
“Monsieur Planus, my brother?”
“What is it?”