"Come, the flood will be less by now; the river will be falling," said Dieppe.
"Fifty francs," said the driver, and Guillaume got in.
"Good!" said the Captain to himself. "A pretty device! And that scoundrel's money did n't lie comfortably in the pocket of a gentleman." He waved his hand to Guillaume and was about to turn away, when the driver came up to him and spoke in a cautious whisper, first looking over his shoulder to see whether his new fare were listening; but Guillaume was sucking at a flask.
"I have a message for you," he said.
"From the lady you carried—?"
"To the Count of Fieramondi's."
"Ah, you took her there?" The Captain frowned heavily.
"Yes, and left her there. But it's not from her; it's from another lady whom I had n't seen before. She met me just as I was returning from the Count's, and bade me look out for you by the Cross—"
"Yes, yes?" cried Dieppe, eagerly. "Give me the message." For his thoughts flew back to the Countess at the first summons.
The driver produced a scrap of paper, carelessly folded, and gave it to him.