When the cook came in late that evening, Josephine, who had sat up for her, said:
'You've no idea how Madame is looking. She's ten years older since this morning. Holy mother! what a day this has been for her!'
'Wait till to-morrow,' said the oracular Valentine.
Later, when the women went up to bed in the attic, they saw a light under Hortense's door, and during the night Josephine, whose chamber was above Madame's, and who couldn't sleep (for sympathy, let us say), heard movements beneath her, which told that her mistress was even more wakeful than she.
IV.
There was considerable bustle around the Armorique as she anchored outside the harbor of H——, in the early dawn of the following day. A gentleman, with an overcoat, walking stick, and small valise, came alongside in a little fishing boat, and got leave to go aboard.
'Is M. Bernier here?' he asked of one of the officers, the first man he met.
'I fancy he's gone ashore, sir. There was a boatman inquiring for him a few minutes ago, and I think he carried him off.
M. de Meyrau reflected a moment. Then he crossed over to the other side of the vessel, looking landward. Leaning over the bulwarks he saw an empty boat moored to the ladder which ran up the vessel's side.
'That's a town boat, isn't it?' he said to one of the hands standing by.