Everyone saw the figure of Renée's mother and Delapine asleep behind her in the cabinet.
As the smoke dispersed, the guests observed the figure slowly melting away in the air.
She was gone.
A female voice was heard behind the curtain, "Au revoir, Renée, my child, I shall soon see you again."
Villebois turned up the light and looked into the cabinet. Delapine was sleeping like a child. He stepped up to the professor as if to wake him, but Riche remembering his orders, sprang forward and pulled him back.
"Don't let anyone wake Delapine," he cried. "He warned me to allow no one to disturb him, but to let him wake up naturally."
Suddenly Marcel called out, "Riche, Riche come here quickly. Don't you smell something?"
"Yes," said Riche, "you are right, there is something burning, I can smell it."
They both ran into the next room, and on opening the door found the landing full of dense smoke. Hurrying back they each took one of the girls by the arm and rushed out of the room and through the conservatory into the garden, followed by Payot, while Villebois ran after them with Madame Villebois on his arm. But they were all too concerned about their own safety to bestow a thought on the professor, who remained in the cabinet.
Villebois and Marcel, having seen the ladies safe in the summer-house, ran round to the garden gate and hurried to the nearest fire alarm, while the others ran to the house to ascertain the cause of the fire. Renée looked round and missed her lover.