Blangin had stopped at the foot of the staircase to give all these explanations.
“Let us go up,” he said now, as M. Folgat showed signs of growing impatience.
He found Jacques lying on his bed, all dressed; and at the first glance he saw that a great misfortune had happened.
“One more hope gone?” he asked.
The prisoner raised himself up with difficulty, and sat up on the side of his bed; then he replied in a voice of utter despair,—
“I am lost, and this time hopelessly.”
“Oh!”
“Just listen!”
The young advocate could not help shuddering as he heard the account given by Jacques of what had happened the night before. And when it was finished, he said,—
“You are right. If Count Claudieuse carries out his threat, it may be a condemnation.”