"Not yet, Madame," replied André, beneath his breath. "I have not yet seen the councillors leave the hall."
"Adieu, Gabriel," resumed Diane, aloud, with much animation. "Adieu, my friend. You almost force me to send you away, to prove that I have no such object as you allege in keeping you here. Adieu!—but for only a short time."
"For only a short time," said the youth, with a melancholy smile, as he pressed her hand.
He left her: but she stood looking after him until the last door had closed behind him.
Then returning to her room, she fell upon her knees before her prie-Dieu, weeping bitterly, and with palpitating heart.
"O mon Dieu, mon Dieu!" she prayed, "in Jesus' name, watch over him who is perhaps my brother, as well as over him who is perhaps my father! Preserve the two beings whom I love, O my God! Thou alone canst do it now."
CHAPTER IX
OPPORTUNITY
In spite of her earnest efforts to prevent it, or rather because of those very efforts, events occurred as Madame de Castro had foreseen and dreaded.
Gabriel had gone from her presence sorrowful and agitated. Diane's fever had communicated itself to him in some measure, and clouded his eyes and confused his thoughts.