For a moment the Intendant looked disconcerted. His cheeks, lately puckered with laughter, hung down. He turned his red eyes on Gabrielle.
'Are you really going to Versailles on such a fool's errand?' he asked.
The girl, though much grieved at the poor deranged lady having disclosed her secret to the man of all others from whom it should have been preserved, when thus appealed to answered resolutely, 'By God's help, I shall!'
'In the devil's name, you shall not,' said Berthier, abruptly.
'Hark! what is that noise?' asked the governor, holding up his finger; 'I have heard it repeatedly.'
The Intendant listened; and directly heard a voice shouting in a peculiar, unearthly tone. The voice came from without, as though from some one floating in the air. What the words were that were spoken, they could not catch. Along with that sound rose inarticulate murmurs, which were wafted in through the window.
'Have you done?' asked the governor; 'I must make enquiries. Well, what is it, Guyon?' This question was addressed to a turnkey who came up.
'Monsieur, there is a crowd in the street. There is great excitement. They are collecting from all quarters.'
'What is bringing them together?'
'Monsieur, I do not know.'