yards above
the cliff. There they felt quite secure, for they overlooked the whole
of the surrounding country, and they fastened their horses to the shafts
to wait until their masters were satiated with love.

One evening as they were leaving the hut, they saw the Abbe Tolbiac
sitting on the hill-side, nearly hidden by the rushes.

"We must leave our horses in that ravine, another time," said Julien;
"in case they should tell our whereabouts," and thenceforth they always
tied their horses up in a kind of recess in the valley, which was hidden
by bushes.

Another evening, they were both returning to La Vrillette where the
comte was expecting Julien to dinner, when they met the cure coming out
of the chateau. He bowed, without looking them in the face, and stood on
one side to let them pass. For the moment his visit made them uneasy,
but their anxiety was soon dispelled.

* * * * *

Jeanne was sitting by the fire reading, one windy afternoon at the
beginning of May, when she suddenly saw the Comte de Fourville running
towards the chateau at such a rate as to make her fear he was the
bearer of bad news. She hastened downstairs to meet him, and when she
saw him close, she thought he must have gone mad. He had on his
shooting-jacket and a big fur cap, that he generally only wore on his
own grounds, and he was so pale that his red moustaches (which, as a
rule, hardly showed against his ruddy face) looked the color of flame.
His eyes were haggard and stared vacantly or rolled from side to side.

"My wife is here, isn't she?" he gasped.

"No," answered Jeanne, too frightened to think of what she was saying;
"I have not seen her at all to-day."

The comte dropped into a chair, as if his legs had no longer strength to
support him, and, taking off his cap, he mechanically passed his
handkerchief several times across his forehead; then he started to his
feet, and went towards Jeanne with outstretched hands, and mouth opened
to speak and tell her of his terrible grief. But suddenly he stopped
short, and fixing his eyes on her, murmured, as if he were delirious:
"But it is your husband--you also--" and breaking off abruptly, he
rushed out towards the sea.

Jeanne ran after him, calling him and imploring him to stop. "He knows
all!" she thought, in terror. "What will he do? Oh, pray heaven he may
not find them."

He did not listen to her, and evidently knowing whither to direct his
steps, ra