othing. Now all at once he spoke.

"One must go to Ambroise's to warn my mother and father. Since he still
breathes, perhaps they will arrive soon enough to embrace him."

"Shall I go to fetch them?" Beauchene good-naturedly inquired.

"No, no! thanks. I did at first think of asking that service of you,
but I have reflected. Nobody but myself can break this horrible news to
mamma. And nothing must be done as yet with regard to Charlotte. We will
see about that by and by, when I come back. I only hope that death will
have a little patience, so that I may find my poor brother still alive."

He leant forward and kissed Blaise, who with his eyes closed remained
motionless, still breathing faintly. Then distractedly Denis printed
another kiss upon his hand and hurried off.

Constance meantime was busying herself, calling the maid, and requesting
her to bring some warm water in order that they might wash the
sufferer's blood-stained brow. It was impossible to think of taking off
his jacket; they had to content themselves with doing the little they
could to improve his appearance pending the arrival of the doctor. And
during these preparations, Beauchene, haunted, worried by the accident,
again began to speak of it.

"It is incomprehensible. One can hardly believe such a stupid mischance
to be possible. Down below the transmission gearing gets out of order,
and this prevents the mechanician from sending the trap up again. Then,
up above, Bonnard gets angry, calls, and at last decides to go down in a
fury when he finds that nobody answers him. Then Morange arrives, flies
into a temper, and goes down in his turn, exasperated at receiving no
answer to his calls for Bonnard. Poor Bonnard! he's sobbing; he wanted
to kill himself when he saw the fine result of his absence."

At this point Beauchene abruptly broke off and turned to Constance.
"But what about you?" he asked. "Morange told me that he had left you up
above near the trap."

She was standing in front of her husband, in the full light which
came through the window. And again did her eyelids beat while a little
nervous twinge slightly twisted her mouth on the left side. That was
all.

"I? Why I had gone down the passage. I came back here at once, as
Morange knows very well."

A moment previously, Morange, annihilated, his legs failing him, had
sunk upon a chair. Incapable of rendering any help, he sat there silent,
awaiting the end. When he heard Constance lie in