He was near the Odeon theatre, when a thought quicker than a flash of lightning lit up the darkness of his brain.
It occurred to him that as the police were doubtless already in pursuit of him, his description would soon be known to everyone, his white cravat and well trimmed whiskers would betray him as surely as though he carried a placard stating who he was.
Seeing a barber’s shop, he hurried to the door; but, when on the point of turning the handle, he grew frightened.
The barber might think it strange that he wanted his whiskers shaved off, and supposing he should question him!
He passed on.
He soon saw another barber’s shop, but the same fears as before again prevented his entering.
Gradually night had fallen, and, with the darkness, Noel seemed to recover his confidence and boldness.
After this great shipwreck in port, hope rose to the surface. Why should he not save himself? There had been many just such cases. He could go to a foreign country, change his name, begin his life over again, become a new man entirely. He had money; and that was the main thing.
And, besides, as soon as his eighty thousand francs were spent, he had the certainty of receiving, on his first request, five or six times as much more.
He was already thinking of the disguise he should assume, and of the frontier to which he should proceed, when the recollection of Juliette pierced his heart like a red hot iron.