"He?" said M. Oberlé; "that is not possible!"
He did not dare to ask the question again. His father, now standing, supported by Jean and by his servant, trembling and wavering, moved across the room.
"Jean," said Madame Oberlé, "see to everything. Do not leave your grandfather; I am coming up."
Her husband had kept her back. She wished to get Jean away from this. As soon as she was alone with M. Oberlé on the staircase they heard the noise of footsteps and the rustling of materials, and voices saying:
"Hold him up—take care in turning."
"What did he call out?" asked M. Oberlé.
"He called out: 'Go away! Go away!' Those are words that he often uses, you know."
"The only ones he had at his disposal to show his hatred. Did he say nothing else?"
"No. I came down at once and I found him on the floor. Jean was near him."
"Happily M. von Kassewitz did not witness this second act. The first was enough. In truth, the whole household was leagued together to make this visit—such an honour for us—an occasion of offence and scandal: my father; Victor, who was not ashamed to be an accomplice of the delirious old man; Jean, who was impertinent; you——"