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"But why should he name it Saint-Ramon?" Again he seemed buried in sad reflections, until aroused from his reverie by his companion's voice. "How singular, after all," the man was saying. "A rich marquis should know only people with equipages; and yet, outside of two or three good carriages, the whole procession consists of fiacres and cabriolets." "Singular, indeed," repeated the old man.
Omnibuses from Batignolles and Menilmontant got in his way, fiacres tried to run him down, and a motor-car in a hurry pulled up just in time to save his life, but Ste. Marie ran on and caught the tram before it had completed the negotiation of the long curve and gathered speed for its dash down the boulevard. He sprang upon the step, and the conductor reluctantly unfastened the chain to admit him.
There was some noise along the jetty and yet more noise in the wide and narrow streets of the town clanging trams, whip-cracking fiacres, yelling newsboys, honking taxis, and soldiers and sailors tramping the pavements. Noise enough, and of the kind befitting a Channel port in war time; but for a time at least we heard the noise let down, and the bustle softened.
Hundreds of fiacres drive madly through the streets conveying women, flashing with jewels and as beautiful as dreams, from opera and concert, and the little bijou supper rooms of the Cafe Tout le Temps are filled with laughing groups, while bon mots, persiflage and repartee fly upon the air the jewels of thought and conversation. Luxury and poverty brush each other in the streets.
The comings and goings of the fiacres had greatly agitated him. At last, he had grown impatient, and, sure that there was a nest there, sure of being in "luck," having recognized many of the ruffians who had entered, he had finally decided to go upstairs without waiting for the pistol-shot. It will be remembered that he had Marius' pass-key. He had arrived just in the nick of time.
The clumsy three-horse omnibuses Madeleine-Bastille crowded inside and out with passengers and with their neatly uniformed drivers and conductors, so different in appearance and manner from our own slovenly street-car rowdies, were endeavouring to breast a perfect sea of fiacres which, like a swarm of mosquitoes, appeared to be trying to go in every direction at once, their drivers vociferating torrents of vituperous abuse on every man, woman or beast unfortunate enough to get in their way.
Good-day, Hartley. Come and see me, both of you. You know where I live." He took his leave then, and Hartley, standing beside the window, watched him turn down the street, and at the corner get into one of the fiacres there and drive away. Ste. Marie laughed aloud. "There's the second time," said he, "that I've had him about O'Hara.
Although very late, it would doubtless be filled with friends congratulating Katrine, and under the circumstances, he reasoned, there could seem no precipitancy in calling immediately to offer congratulations. He found the house a blaze of light, with servants going back and forth with arms full of flowers. In front there were many carriages and fiacres.
Having chartered one of the few remaining fiacres, at an exorbitant rate, he drove to the house where he had seen Cumming enter, and went into the concierge. "I want some information, my friend," he said, laying a five-franc piece on the table. "You have a foreigner lodging here?" The man nodded. "Monsieur Jackson is a good tenant," he said. "He pays well for any little services."
Had he been on foot he would certainly have entered the house; as it was, he slowly followed Mme. Blanche, who was going up the Rue Crenelle. She walked very quickly, and without turning her head, and kept her face persistently shrouded in a very thick veil. When she reached the Rue Taranne, she threw herself into one of the fiacres at the carriage-stand.
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