It suddenly flashed across his troubled brain that Jeanne was there in the carriage, waiting for him, and he started back a step.
"No," said he.

Meanwhile the carriage had moved forward; Benedetto imagined he saw Jeanne, that he was being forced to get into the carriage with her, and that he had not the strength to resist.

Seized with giddiness he staggered back again, and would have fallen had the footman not caught him in his arms.

He found himself in the carriage without knowing how he had got there, with an unpleasant bright light opposite to him, and a loud buzzing in his ears.

Little by little he understood.