Justine soon returned, and informed her mistress that there were no letters and that no one had called. Fanny placed herself at the window, and still there was no arrival.
At five o'clock in the afternoon, unable to remain inactive any longer, she said to her maid:
"Take a cab by the hour; here is Monsieur de la Bérinière's address; go there, and find out from the concierge if anything has happened to him; if he is ill, ask to see him, and tell him how deeply interested I am in his health. Go quickly, so that I may know what to think."
Justine went off in her cab. The pretty widow counted the minutes and kept looking at the clock. At last her servant returned. Her breathless, dismayed air made it evident enough that she had something to tell; and as she entered the room, she cried out, wringing her hands:
"Ah! madame, indeed there is something new. Oh! the poor count! what a calamity!"
"Heavens! Justine, is he dead?"
"No, madame; he isn't dead yet, but very near it!"
"What accident has happened to him, then?"
"No accident, madame; but a fight with swords—a duel, in fact!"
"The count has been fighting a duel?"