"And the carriage, when did it come back?"
"But, monsieur, it never did come back."
"What!" said I, much surprised, "but there must be a good many country houses at ——?"
"Non, monsieur, there is only one in the place; all the rest are only little huts for the peasants."
"Then there is another road besides this one?"
"Oh, non, monsieur; this is the only possible way of getting back."
"And nobody ever came back this way?"
"Non, monsieur."
"It is most extraordinary! And how long ago did all this happen?"
"Very nearly two years, monsieur."