"He will be here soon," answered the innkeeper, "unless the inundation has increased."
"Is he on foot?" asked Gudel.
"No, the lady lent him her horse," said Bobichel, but he stopped short when he saw Caillette turn pale.
Gudel could not see his daughter.
"The young lady is kind-hearted, in spite of all her affectations," he said. "And now, good people, I must ask you to leave me. While I am waiting for Fanfar, I must see these men that I am to take to-morrow to Rémisemont."
"You do not really mean to go to-morrow?"
"I can't say yet. Caillette, my dear, you must go to bed and get some rest at once."
Gudel was not in the least hurt; he had received a great shock, that was all.
When La Roulante left the room, she was met at the door by Robeccal.
"You see," he said, in a fierce whisper, "that if I had done as I wished, and used a knife, the whole thing would have been settled by this time."