'It will not do to suffer him to escape, Monsieur le Curé. Have you seen him?'
'All I can answer you is, that he has not gone this way;' and the curé's forefinger pointed up his sleeve.
'We will hunt elsewhere,' said the peasant. 'Come along, Michel.' And in another moment the rustics were out of sight.
For two days the search was maintained; but Berthier succeeded in eluding his pursuers. He found bread and meat and wine every morning at the place indicated. On the third morning a scrap of paper was attached to the loaf, with the inscription traced on it in pencil, 'Fly east, the pursuit has abated.'
In fact, the country people, tired of wasting their time without a prospect of remuneration, and beginning to disbelieve the report given by Pierre and Jean, returned to their agricultural labours. But Nemesis was at hand.
Directly it was known in Paris that Berthier had been seen at Senlis, his wife started in her light carriage, taking with her the two hounds, Pigeon and Poulet, and accompanied by one of the electors, M. de la Rivière.
At Senlis it was reported that Berthier had been seen in the neighbourhood of Compiègne. At the tavern where he supped, Pierre and Jean and the hostess described his person to the elector.
'It is he,' cried madame; 'we are on the track. You saw his eyes, then, good woman?'
'I saw them plain enough,' she answered; 'I don't want to see them again.'
'And do you know what I want to do?' asked the crazy lady; 'I want to shut them for ever.'