"All serene, Juve! I leave it to you. Whatever happens. I shall try not to lose sight of you. I shall stick to you like a leech—if you have need of me."
Juve held out his hands.
"Thanks, dear lad!"
With fast-beating hearts, thrilling with excitement, expectation, anxiety, the friends embraced.
"You know, dear lad," said Juve in quiet tones: "We are going to risk our skins?... I am sure of the final victory unless a stupid ball from a revolver."...
Fandor was his old teasing self once more.
"Oh, that's all right! You are not going to frighten me with that old black bogey of yours!"...
At this moment the carriage turned the corner at the end of the Alexander bridge....
The Baron de Naarboveck's mansion was brilliantly illuminated. The much-talked-of fête was at its height.