As for the marquis, more spruce and smiling than usual, he conversed in a corner with Felicite, who seemed very gay.
At last a ring came.

The gentlemen started as if they had heard a gun-shot.

Dead silence reigned in the drawing-room when Felicite went to open the door, towards which their pale, anxious faces were turned.

Then the commander's servant appeared on the threshold, quite out of breath, and said abruptly to his master: "Sir, the insurgents will be here in an hour." This was a thunderbolt.

They all started up, vociferating, and raising their arms towards the ceiling.