"No. It was not there an hour ago, I could swear. Besides, see,
here is a little snow that has not melted yet."
"It must have been one of the servants."
Hector went to the door and examined it.
"I do not think so," said he. "A servant would have shut the bolts;
here they are, drawn back. Yet I myself shut the door to-night, and
distinctly recollect fastening the bolts."
"It's very strange!"
"And all the more so, look you, because the traces of the water do
not go much beyond the drawing-room door."
They remained silent, and exchanged anxious looks. The same
terrible thought occurred to them both.
"If it were he?"
But why should he have gone into the garden? It could not have
been to spy on them.
They did not think of the window.
"It couldn't have been Clement," said Bertha, at last. "He was
asleep when I went back, and he is in a calm and deep slumber now."
Sauvresy, stretched upon his bed, heard what his enemies were
saying. He cursed his imprudence.
"Suppose," thought he, "they should think of looking at my gown and
slippers!"
Happily this simple idea did not occur to them; after reassuring
each other as well as they were able, they separated; but each heart
carried an anxious doubt.
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