One of the men cried out, "Bravo! Bravo!" and the others joined in, their hitherto frightened faces beaming with relief and interest.
The quick-witted officer saw the chance of getting Nadine out of the difficulty without any cost; stepping forward and making a gesture to command attention, he said:
"It is true that the elephant has done a certain amount of damage here, for which his young mistress is quite willing to pay if the proprietor of the garden insists; but it has occurred to me that you might like to have the big fellow pay the bill himself, by showing you how clever he is, and how he understands every word that his mistress says to him."
This proposition was received with an instant chorus of approval, and the proprietor, a good-natured prosperous man, who had by this time completely got over both his fright and his indignation, having graciously signified his assent, the officer turned to Nadine and said:
"Now, Mademoiselle, will you be kind enough to show these good people what a very wise and intelligent animal your elephant is?"
Nadine, smiling radiantly, for her young heart had been sorely troubled at the prospect of having to pay, she had no idea how much, for what Nalla had destroyed or eaten, at once proceeded to put the great creature through his repertoire of tricks.
He bowed, he danced, he sang, he picked up the tiniest objects with his trunk, he responded "yes" or "no," most appropriately to her questions, and altogether so delighted the country-folk that they were loath to let him leave them.
But of course Nadine, so soon as her mind was relieved, bethought herself of Cæsar, and Abel, and Lydia, and was impatient for them to be spared further anxiety. So as soon as it could be managed she took her departure, having thanked the proprietor very prettily for his leniency.
She rode on Nalla's neck back to the market-place, and her return was somewhat in the nature of a triumph, for the others had all got back with nothing to report, and were consequently in very low spirits, and when she appeared mounted upon the missing animal they shouted and screamed for joy, while the crowd that had gathered out of curiosity vigorously applauded.
They had just got over their demonstrations, and were setting about preparations to make a move from the town towards the next halting-place, when the gendarme bustled up to say that the secret of the elephant's stampede had been discovered, and that Nadine's presence was required at the Sous-Préfet's office.