At the end of the avenue she caught sight of the two steaming horses on the road held by the orderly, and almost at the same moment the lieutenant came towards her.
Farnow's usually pale face was flushed, his expression troubled; he hastened, but with no sign of joy, towards Lucienne, who came half running to meet him, trying to laugh.
"How are you, Wilhelm? What a nice surprise!"
The lieutenant raised his hat, but made no reply. He took her hand, and drew her aside; he did not raise it to his lips; no accustomed words of admiration came from him; his eyes were hard and feverish, and he drew her near the wood-yard close by.
Lucienne continued to smile bravely, though her heart was heavy with painful dread.
"Where are you taking me? Who is this churlish friend, who won't even say good day? You, so particular——"
"Come, we shan't be seen here," he said; he drew her behind a pile of wood into a kind of retreat formed by three unequal piles of planks. Farnow dropped Lucienne's hand.
"Is Jean here? Be careful; is he at Alsheim?"
His eyes expressed his anguish, his manner an imperious will struggling against calamity.
"No; he is not here," replied Lucienne simply.