Sapt's scoldings had died away.

The queen, wrapped in her furs (for it was very cold), sat sometimes on a seat, but oftener paced restlessly to and fro.

Evening had fallen.

We did not know what to do, nor even whether we ought to do anything.

Sapt would not own to sharing our worst apprehensions, but his gloomy silence in face of our surmises witnessed that he was in his heart as disturbed as we were.
For my part I had come to the end of my endurance, and I cried, "For God's sake, let's act! Shall I go and seek him ?" "A needle in a bundle of hay," said Sapt with a shrug.
But at this instant my ear caught the sound of horses cantering on the road from the forest; at the same moment Bernenstein cried, "Here they come!" The queen paused, and we gathered round her.