"I'm going down without a light; Touquet should be in his room by now."
"If you should meet him?"
"I will not make the least noise."
"But it is necessary that I should go with you to open the door."
"You need not, I can open it myself."
"There is a secret in opening it. O my God, for a mere nothing I would go with you from this house. All that you've said about my master makes me shudder, and since my dear child is no longer here I find this dwelling very gloomy."
"It's very necessary that you should remain here in order to give me, as well as Urbain, information in regard to all that the barber does. Before long, good Marguerite, you shall be happier, and reunited to your dear Blanche."
"Oh, may all that you say prove true."
"Open your door; I don't hear the least sound on the staircase; let us hasten."
The old woman groped her way down, Julia followed her; they arrived at the foot of the stairs and were about to enter the alleyway when the barber, coming brusquely from the corridor which led to the lower room, met them, bearing a light in his hand. Marguerite uttered a cry of fear; the barber quickly held the light against Julia's face.