The news made me choke with impatience. Already it was close upon five o'clock, and in another hour the sun would set and the Angelus would toll the knell of Mademoiselle's preposterous suspicions, unless in the meantime I had speech with Canaples, and led him to employ a father's authority to keep his daughter indoors.
Fuming at the contretemps I called for my horse and set out at a brisk trot for Montcroix. But my ride was fruitless. The vineyard peasants had not seen the Chevalier for over a week.
Now, 'twixt Montcroix and the château there lies a good league, and to make matters worse, as I galloped furiously back to Canaples, an evil chance led me to mistake the way and pursue a track that brought me out on the very banks of the river, with a strong belt of trees screening the château from sight, and defying me to repair my error by going straight ahead.
I was forced to retrace my steps, and before I had regained the point where I had gone astray a precious quarter of an hour was wasted, and the sun already hung, a dull red globe, on the brink of the horizon.
Clenching my teeth, I tore at my horse's flanks, and with a bloody heel I drove the maddened brute along at a pace that might have cost us both dearly. I dashed, at last, into the quadrangle, and, throwing the reins to a gaping groom, I sprang up the steps.
"Has the Chevalier returned?" I gasped breathlessly.
"Not yet, Monsieur," answered Guilbert with a tranquillity that made me desire to strangle him. "Is Mademoiselle in the château?" was my next question, mechanically asked.
"I saw her on the terrace some moments ago. She has not since come within."
Like one possessed I flew across the intervening room and out on to the terrace. Geneviève and Andrea were walking there, deep in conversation. At another time I might have cursed their lack of prudence. At the moment I did not so much as remark it.
"Where is Mademoiselle de Canaples?" I burst out.
They gazed at me, as much astounded by my question and the abruptness of it as by my apparent agitation.
"Has anything happened?" inquired Geneviève, her blue eyes wide open.
"Yes--no; naught has happened. Tell me where she is. I must speak to her."
"She was here a while ago," said Andrea, "but she left us to stroll along the river bank."
"How long is it since she left you?"
"A quarter of an hour, perhaps."
"Something has happened!" cried Geneviève, and added more, maybe, but I waited not to hear.