“We have not seen him,” answered Mlle. Gilberte.
He seemed so much surprised, that Mme. Favoral was frightened.
“What is the matter again, good God!” she exclaimed.
“Nothing, madame,” said M. de Tregars,—“nothing that should alarm you. Compelled, about two hours ago, to part from Maxence, I was to have met him here. Since he has not come, he must have been detained. I know where; and I will ask your permission to run and join him.”
He went out; but Mlle. Gilberte followed him in the hall, and, taking his hand,
“How kind of you!” she began, “and how can we ever sufficiently thank you?”
He interrupted her.
“You owe me no thanks, my beloved; for, in what I am doing, there is more selfishness than you think. It is my own cause, more than yours, that I am defending. Any way, every thing is going on well.”
And, without giving any more explanations, he started again. He had no doubt that Maxence, after leaving him, had run to the Hotel des Folies to give to Mlle. Lucienne an account of the day’s work. And, though somewhat annoyed that he had tarried so long, on second thought, he was not surprised.
It was, therefore, to the Hotel des Folies that he was going. Now that he had unmasked his batteries and begun the struggle, he was not sorry to meet Mlle. Lucienne.