So long as he does not meet Micheline on entering the house!" At that idea Madame Desvarennes felt the blood rushing to her face.

She put her head out of the carriage window, and called to the coachman: "Drive faster!" He drove more furiously still, and in a few minutes reached the Rue Saint-Dominique.
She tore into the house like a hurricane, questioned the hall-porter, and learned that Delarue had arrived.

She hastened to Marechal, and asked him in such a strange manner, "Have you seen Pierre ?" that he thought some accident had happened.
On seeing her secretary's scared look, she understood that what she most dreaded had come to pass.

She hurried to the drawing-room, calling Pierre in a loud voice.

The French window opened, and she found herself face to face with the young man.