After an hour's ride they reached a quiet, solitary glade in the wood of Vincennes.
The carriage drove up under some trees on one side.
It was yet earliest morning, and the glade lay in the darksome, dewy freshness of the dawn. There was no living creature to be seen.
"We are the first on the ground, as I always like to be," remarked Colonel Morris, as he alighted from the carriage, bearing the pistol-case in his hands.
He was followed by the duke, who slowly came out, stood by his side and looked around.
The young surgeon remained in the carriage in charge of his very suggestive and alarming instruments and appliances.
"The sun is just rising," said the duke, as the first rays sparkled up above the rosy line of the eastern horizon.
"And look, with dramatic precision, there are our men," cheerfully remarked the colonel, as a second carriage rolled into the glade and drew up under the trees at a short distance from the first.
The carriage door was thrown open and the Russian Baron Blomonozoff came out—a thin, ferocious-looking little man, with a red face, encircled by a red beard and red hair, of all of which it would be difficult to say which was reddest.
He was followed by the beautiful Adonis, the Count de Volaski, looking very fair and dainty, very languid and melancholy.