" And he laughed.
Their spirits rose with his and their flagging hopes revived. But
as dusk descended again upon the city, without any sign of the
deliverer they awaited, those hopes began to ebb once more.
M. de La Tour d'Azyr at last pleaded weariness, and begged to be
permitted to withdraw that he might endeavour to take some rest
against whatever might have to be faced in the immediate future.
When he had gone, madame persuaded Aline to go and lie down.
"I will call you, my dear, the moment he arrives," she said,
bravely maintaining that pretence of a confidence that had by now
entirely evaporated.
Aline kissed her affectionately, and departed, outwardly so calm
and unperturbed as to leave the Countess wondering whether she
realized the peril by which they were surrounded, a peril
infinitely increased by the presence in that house of a man so
widely known and detested as M. de La Tour d'Azyr, a man who was
probably being sought for by his enemies at this moment.
Left alone, madame lay down on a couch in the salon itself, to be
ready for any emergency.
Pages:
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628