I began to tell him what I knew. He did not wait for me to finish. Evidently as anxious as myself, he drew me towards a lodge, standing some distance from the house, which Bérangère occupied.
He knocked. There was no answer. But the door was open. He entered and went upstairs to Bérangère's room. She was not there.
He did not seem greatly surprised.
"She often goes out early," he said.
"Perhaps she is at the house?" I suggested.
"With my wife? No, my wife is not very well and would not be up yet."
"What then?"
"I presume she has gone for her ordinary walk to the ruins of the old castle. She likes the view there, which embraces Bougival and the whole river."
"Is it far?"
"No, just at the end of the park."