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could help her？
Standing there； half…frenzied by her helplessness； she caught again
a sound of vehicles and hooves on the cobbles of the street below。
A carriage was approaching。 It drew up with a clatter before the
fencing…academy。 Could it be Andre…Louis returning？ Passionately
she snatched at that straw of hope。 Knocking； loud and urgent； fell
upon the door。 She heard Andre…Louis' housekeeper； her wooden shoes
clanking upon the stairs； hurrying down to open。
She sped to the door of the anteroom； and pulling it wide stood
breathlessly to listen。 But the voice that floated up to her was
not the voice she so desperately hoped to hear。 It was a woman's
voice asking in urgent tones for M。 Andre…Louis … a voice at first
vaguely familiar； then clearly recognized； the voice of Mme。 de
Plougastel。
Excited； she ran to the head of the narrow staircase in time to hear
Mme。 de Plougastel exclaim in agitation：
〃He has gone already！ Oh； but how long since？ Which way did he
take？〃
It was enough to inform Aline that Mme。 de Plougastel's errand must
be akin to her own。 At the moment； in the general distress and
confusion of her mind； her mental vision focussed entirely on the
one vital point； she found in this no matter for astonishment。 The
singular regard conceived by Mme。 de Plougastel for Andre…Louis
seemed to her then a sufficient explanation。
Without pausing to consider； she ran down that steep staircase；
calling：
〃Madame！ Madame！〃
The portly； comely housekeeper drew aside； and the two ladies faced
each other on that threshold。 Mme。 de Plougastel looked white and
haggard； a nameless dread staring from her eyes。
〃Aline！ You here！〃 she exclaimed。 And then in the urgency sweeping
aside all minor considerations； 〃Were you also too late？〃 she asked。
〃No； madame。 I saw him。 I implored him。 But he would not listen。〃
〃Oh； this is horrible！〃 Mme。 de Plougastel shuddered as she spoke。
〃I heard of it only half an hour ago； and I came at once； to prevent
it at all costs。〃
The two women looked blankly； despairingly； at each other。 In the
sunshine…flooded street one or two shabby idlers were pausing to
eye the handsome equipage with its magnificent bay horses； and the
two great ladies on the doorstep of the fencing…academy。 From
across the way came the raucous voice of an itinerant bellows…mender
raised in the cry of his trade：
〃A raccommoder les vieux soufflets！〃
Madame swung to the housekeeper。
〃How long is it since monsieur left？〃
〃Ten minutes； maybe； hardly more。〃 Conceiving these great ladies
to be friends of her invincible master's latest victim； the good
woman preserved a decently stolid exterior。
Madame wrung her hands。 〃Ten minutes！ Oh！〃 It was almost a moan。
〃Which way did he go？〃
〃The assignation is for nine o'clock in the Bois de Boulogne；〃
Aline informed her。 〃Could we follow？ Could we prevail if we did？〃
〃Ah； my God！ The question is should we come in time？ At nine
o'clock！ And it wants but little more than a quarter of an hour。
Mon Dieu！ Mon Dieu！〃 Madame clasped and unclasped her hands in
anguish。 〃Do you know； at least； where in the Bois they are to meet？〃
〃No … only that it is in the Bois。〃
〃In the Bois！〃 Madame was flung into a frenzy。 〃The Bois is nearly
half as large as Paris。〃 But she swept breathlessly on； 〃Come；
Aline： get in； get in！〃
Then to her coachman。 〃To the Bois de Boulogne by way of the Cours
Ia Reine；〃 she commanded； 〃as fast as you can drive。 There are ten
pistoles for you if we are in time。 Whip up； man！〃
She thrust Aline into the carriage； and sprang after her with the
energy of a girl。 The heavy vehicle … too heavy by far for this
race with time … was moving before she had taken her seat。 Rocking
and lurching it went； earning the maledictions of more than one
pedestrian whom it narrowly avoided crushing against a wall or
trampling underfoot。
Madame sat back with closed eyes and trembling lips。 Her face
showed very white and drawn。 Aline watched her in silence。 Almost
it seemed to her that Mme。 de Plougastel was suffering as deeply
as herself； enduring an anguish of apprehension as great as her own。
Later Aline was to wonder at this。 But at the moment all the
thought of which her half…numbed mind was capable was bestowed upon
their desperate errand。
The carriage rolled across the Place Louis XV and out on to the
Cours Ia Reine at last。 Along that beautiful； tree…bordered avenue
between the Champs Elysees and the Seine； almost empty at this hour
of the day； they made better speed； leaving now a cloud of dust
behind them。
But fast to danger…point as was the speed； to the women in that
carriage it was too slow。 As they reached the barrier at the end
of the Cours； nine o'clock was striking in the city behind them；
and every stroke of it seemed to sound a note of doom。
Yet here at the barrier the regulations compelled a momentary halt。
Aline enquired of the sergeant…in…charge how long it was since a
cabriolet such as she described had gone that way。 She was answered
that some twenty minutes ago a vehicle had passed the barrier
containing the deputy M。 le Chapelier and the Paladin of the Third
Estate； M。 Moreau。 The sergeant was very well informed。 He could
make a shrewd guess； he said； with a grin； of the business that took
M。 Moreau that way so early in the day。
They left him； to speed on now through the open country； following
the road that continued to hug the river。 They sat back mutely
despairing； staring hopelessly ahead； Aline's hand clasped tight
in madame's。 In the distance； across the meadows on their right；
they could see already the long； dusky line of trees of the Bois；
and presently the carriage swung aside following a branch of the
road that turned to the right； away from the river and heading
straight for the forest。
Mademoiselle broke at last the silence of hopelessness that had
reigned between them since they had passed the barrier。
〃Oh； it is impossible that we should come in time！ Impossible！〃
〃Don't say it！ Don't say it！〃 madame cried out。
〃But it is long past nine； madame！ Andre would be punctual； and
these。。。 affairs do not take long。 It。。。 it will be all over by now。
Madame shivered； and closed her eyes。 Presently； however； she opened
them again； and stirred。 Then she put her head from the window。 〃A
carriage is approaching；〃 she announced； and her tone conveyed the
thing she feared。
〃Not already！ Oh； not already！〃 Thus Aline expressed the silently
communicated thought。 She experienced a difficulty in breathing；
felt the sudden need of air。 Something in her throat was throbbing
as if it would suffocate her； a mist came and went before her eyes。
In a cloud of dust an open caleche was speeding towards them； coming
from the Bois。 They watched it； both pale； neither venturing to
speak； Aline； indeed； without breath to do so。
As it approached； it slowed down； perforce； as they did； to effect
a safe passage in that narrow road。 Aline was at the window with
Mme。 de Plougastel； and with fearful eyes both looked into this
open carriage that was drawing abre