When night came, hardly had she entered the nuptial chamber than she uttered a piercing shriek.

She had just found and read a paper left on the bed by Trumeau, who before leaving had contrived to glide into the room unseen.

Its contents were of terrible import, so terrible that the new-made wife fell unconscious to the ground.
Quennebert, who, without a smile, was absorbed in reflections on the happiness at last within his grasp, heard the noise from the next room, and rushing in, picked up his wife.

Catching sight of the paper, he also uttered a cry of anger and astonishment, but in whatever circumstances he found himself he was never long uncertain how to act.

Placing Madame Quennebert, still unconscious, on the bed, he called her maid, and, having impressed on her that she was to take every care of her mistress, and above all to tell her from him as soon as she came to herself that there was no cause for alarm, he left the house at once.