There were exclamations and shouts of “Your son-in-law! Where is he?”
He suddenly appeared confused and his face grew red.
“What! do you not know? Why—why—he is in the coach house. He is dead.”
They were all silent in amazement.
M. d'Arnelles continued, more and more disturbed:
“I had the misfortune to lose him; and as I was taking the body to my house, in Briseville, I came round this way so as not to miss our appointment. But you can see that I cannot wait any longer.”
Then one of the sportsmen, bolder than the rest said:
“Well, but—since he is dead—it seems to me that he can wait a day longer.”
The others chimed in:
“That cannot be denied.”