When they had gone about a hundred yards, a single snivel went off in the wheelbarrow.

Five minutes after, Dard was at home in charge of his grandmother, his shoe off, his foot in a wet linen cloth; and Edouard, his coat tied round the neck, squared his shoulders, and ran the two short leagues out.

He ran them in forty minutes, found the surgeon at home, told the case, pooh-poohed that worthy's promise to go to the patient presently, darted into his stable, saddled the horse, brought him round, saw the surgeon into the saddle, started him, dined at the restaurateur's, strolled back, and was in time to get a good look at the chateau of Beaurepaire just as the sun set on it.
Jacintha came into Dard's cottage that evening.
"So you have been at it, my man," cried she cheerfully and rather roughly, then sat down and rocked herself, with her apron over her head.
She explained this anomalous proceeding to his grandmother privately.

"I thought I would keep his heart up anyway, but you see I was not fit." Next morning, as Riviere sat writing, he received an unexpected visit from Jacintha.

She came in with her finger to her lips, and said, "You prowl about Dard's cottage.