"Oh, but how alarming!"
"Why alarm yourself, mother? You see that they are not thinking of torturing me. Only, on the off chance and not knowing what sort of fate was in store for Stéphane, I sent him something to eat by All's Well, who is sure to have found a way of getting to him."
"No," she said, "All's Well did not understand."
"How do you know, mother?"
"He thought you were sending him to Stéphane Maroux's room and he heaped it all under the bed."
"Oh!" said the boy, anxiously. "What can have become of Stéphane?" And he at once added, "You see, mother, that we must hurry, if we would save Stéphane and save ourselves."
"What are you afraid of?"
"Nothing, if you act quickly."
"But still . . ."
"Nothing, I assure you. I feel certain that we shall get the better of every obstacle."