left, advanced to meet
Ninny-Moulin; the latter danced, or rather leaped towards her, his
left leg bent under him, his right leg stretched forward, with the toe
raised, and the heel gliding on the floor; moreover, he struck his neck
with his left hand, and by a simultaneous movement, stretched forth
his right, as if he would have thrown dust in the eyes of his opposite
partner.

This first figure met with great success, and the applause was
vociferous, though it was only the innocent prelude to the step of
the Storm-blown Tulip--when suddenly the door opened, and one of the
waiters, after looking about for an instant, in search of Sleepinbuff,
ran to him, and whispered some words in his ear.

"Me!" cried Jacques, laughing; "here's a go!"

The waiter added a few more words, when Sleepinbuff's face assumed
an expression of uneasiness, as he answered. "Very well! I come
directly,"--and he made a step towards the door.

"What's the matter, Jacques?" asked the Bacchanal Queen, in some
surprise.

"I'll be back immediately. Some one take my place. Go on with the
dance," said Sleepinbuff, as he hastily left the room.

"Something, that was not put down in the bill," said Dumoulin; "he will
soon be back."

"That's it," said Cephyse. "Now cavalier suel!" she added, as she took
Jacques's place, and the dance continued.

Ninny Moulin had just taken hold of Rose Pompon with his right hand,
and of the Queen with his left, in order to advance between the two, in
which figure he showed off his buffoonery to the utmost extent, when
the door again opened, and the same waiter, who had called out Jacques,
approached Cephyse with an air of consternation, and whispered in her
ear, as he had before done to Sleepinbuff.

The Bacchanal Queen grew pale, uttered a piercing scream, and rushed out
of the room without a word, leaving her guests in stupefaction.

(11) These atrocious words were actually spoken during the Lyons Riots.

CHAPTER IV. THE FAREWELL

The Bacchanal Queen, following the waiter, arrived at the bottom of the
staircase. A coach was standing before the door of the house. In it she
saw Sleepinbuff, with one of the men who, two hours before, had been
waiting on the Place du Chatelet.

On the arrival of Cephyse, the man got down, and said to Jacques, as he
drew out his watch: "I give you a quarter of an hour; it is all that I
can do for you, my good fellow; after that we must start. Do not try to
escape, for w