Bertha was about to answer almost wrathfully, but Maurice interrupted her.
"I will go, Bertha. Madeleine must be in Dresden. At last she has sent us a token of her existence, a token of remembrance, thank Heaven!"
"Go! go! go at once!" was Bertha's energetic injunction.
Maurice pressed her hand tightly, and bowing to the marquis, without attempting to utter another syllable, took his leave, carrying with him the envelope which bore Madeleine's handwriting.
After having his passport viséd, he returned to his apartment to make rapid preparations for starting that evening. Very soon Gaston de Bois entered, evidently in a state of ill-concealed perturbation.
"Mademoiselle Bertha tells me you are going to Dresden."
"Yes, to seek my cousin. Look at the post-stamp upon that envelope. Madeleine is in Dresden."
"How can you be sure of that?" asked Gaston.
"She writes from Dresden; can anything be clearer?" returned Maurice, confidently.
"It is not clear to me that she is there. I wish I could persuade you against taking this jour—our—ourney."