Her innocence--she had not the germ of a suspicion--made me grind my teeth with wrath.

Oh, the base wretch! The miserable rascal! What did the women see, I wondered--what had we all seen in this man, this Pavannes, that won for him our hearts, when he had only a stone to give in return?
I drew Croisette and Marie aside, apparently to consider how we might force the door.

"What is the meaning of this ?" I said softly, glancing at the unfortunate lady.

"What do you think, Croisette ?" I knew well what the answer would be.
"Think!" he cried with fiery impatience.

"What can any one think except that that villain Pavannes has himself planned his wife's abduction?
Of course it is so! His wife out of the way he is free to follow up his intrigues at Caylus.