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Some day also I may tell how I came back into my rightful inheritance of Grosbois, which is still darkened to me by the thought of that terrible uncle of mine, and of what happened that night when Toussac stood at bay in the library. But enough of me and of my small fortunes. You have already heard more of them, perhaps, than you care for.
The man who had befriended me still swayed his body about with a singular half-smile upon his face. His skinny hand was twitching at the frill of his shirt, and I conjectured that he held some weapon concealed there. Toussac stood between them and the open door, and, much as I feared and loathed him, I could not take my eyes from his gallant figure.
He expected an interruption, and he was talking, talking, talking, in order to gain time for it. I was as sure of it as if he had whispered his secret in my ear, and down in my numb, cold heart a warm little spring of hope began to bubble and run. But Toussac had chafed at all this word-fencing, and now with an oath he broke in upon our dialogue. 'I have had enough of this! he cried.
It is a matter of detail whether I give you up living or give you up dead, and I think that, on the whole, it had better be dead. It had been horrible to see Toussac tear the throat out of the hound, but it had not made my flesh creep as it crept now.
'Lieutenant Gerard of the Hussars of Bercheny. 'Quite so. There is not a more gallant officer in the Grand Army than Etienne Gerard. The three of us, Monsieur de Laval, should be equal to any adventure. 'I am at your disposal. 'Tell us then, mademoiselle, where Toussac is hiding. 'He is hiding at the Red Mill. 'But we have searched it, I assure you that he is not there.
If you and I had constancy enough to endure this and if I remember right it was chiefly at your instigation that the deed was done then surely on this more vital occasion 'No, no, Toussac, stop! cried the thin man, his voice rising from its soft tones to a perfect scream as the giant's hairy hand gripped me by the chin once more.
'It is everything to me to have two brave men at my back, said she, and so, with a smile, gave her horse its head and cantered off over the downland in the direction of Grosbois. For my part I remained in thought for some time, wondering what plan she could have in her head by which she hoped to get upon the track of Toussac.
As to Toussac, he stood before the fire, a magnificent figure, with the axe held down by his leg, and his head thrown back in defiance, so that his great black beard bristled straight out in front of him. He said not a word, but every fibre of his body was braced for a struggle. Then, as the howl of the hound rose louder and clearer from the marsh outside, he ran forward and threw open the door.
Lesage had shrunk away into the corner in a frenzy of fear whilst Toussac had been killing the hound, but now he raised his agonised face, which was as wet as if he had dipped it into a basin. 'Yes, yes, he cried; 'we must fly, Charles. The hound has left the police behind, and we may still escape.
'Well, Monsieur de Laval, said he, shaking hands with me very pleasantly, 'you have heard, no doubt, that this fellow Toussac has escaped us. He was really the only one whom we were anxious to seize, for the other is evidently a mere dupe and dreamer.
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