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de Godollo must； therefore； be in the act of moving away。
He then resigned himself to make known his presence at the great
lady's door as he would have done at that of a grisette。 He rapped
with his knuckles； but a hollow sonority revealing the void；
〃intonuere cavernae；〃 echoed beyond the door which he vainly appealed
to with his fist。 He also perceived from beneath that door a ray of
vivid light； the sure sign of an uninhabited apartment where curtains
and carpets and furniture no longer dim the light or deaden sound。
Compelled to believe in a total removal； la Peyrade now supposed that
in the rupture with Brigitte； mentioned as probable by Madame de
Godollo； some brutal insolence of the old maid had necessitated this
abrupt departure。 But why had he not been told of it？ And what an
idea； to expose him to this ridiculous meeting with what the common
people call； in their picturesque language； 〃the wooden face〃！
Before leaving the door finally； and as if some doubt still remained
in his mind； la Peyrade made a last and most thundering assault upon
it。
〃Who's knocking like that； as if they'd bring the house down？〃 said
the porter； attracted by the noise to the foot of the staircase。
〃Doesn't Madame de Godollo still live here？〃 asked la Peyrade。
〃Of course she doesn't live here now； she has moved away。 If monsieur
had told me he was going to her apartment I would have spared him the
trouble of battering down the door。〃
〃I knew that she was going to leave the apartment；〃 said la Peyrade；
not wishing to seem ignorant of the project of departure； 〃but I had
no idea she was going so soon。〃
〃I suppose it was something sudden；〃 said the porter； 〃for she went
off early this morning with post…horses。〃
〃Post…horses！〃 echoed la Peyrade； stupefied。 〃Then she has left
Paris？〃
〃That's to be supposed；〃 said the porter； 〃people don't usually take
post…horses and a postilion to change from one quarter of Paris to
another。〃
〃And she did not tell you where she was going？〃
〃Ah！ monsieur； what an idea！ Do people account to us porters for what
they do？〃
〃No； but her lettersthose that come after her departure？〃
〃Her letters？ I am ordered to deliver them to Monsieur le commandeur；
the little old gentlemen who came to see her so often； monsieur must
have met him。〃
〃Yes； yes； certainly；〃 said la Peyrade； keeping his presence of mind
in the midst of the successive shocks which came upon him；〃the
powered little man who was here every day。〃
〃I couldn't say every day； but he came often。 Well； I am told to give
the countess's letters to him。〃
〃And for other persons of her acquaintance；〃 said la Peyrade；
carelessly； 〃did she leave no message？〃
〃None； monsieur。〃
〃Very well；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃good…morning。〃 And he turned to go out。
〃But I think；〃 said the porter； 〃that Mademoiselle Thuillier knows
more about it than I do。 Won't monsieur go up？ She is at home； and so
is Monsieur Thuillier。〃
〃No； never mind；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃I only came to tell Madame de
Godollo about a commission she asked me to execute； I haven't time to
stop now。〃
〃Well； as I told you； she left with post…horses this morning。 Two
hours earlier monsieur might still have found her； but now； with post…
horses； she must by this time have gone a good distance。〃
La Peyrade departed； with a sense of despair in his heart。 Added to
the anxiety caused by this hasty departure； jealousy entered his soul；
and in this agonizing moment of disappointment the most distressing
explanations crowded on his mind。
Then； after further reflection； he said to himself：
〃These clever diplomatic women are often sent on secret missions which
require the most absolute silence； and extreme rapidity of movement。〃
But here a sudden revulsion of thought overcame him：
〃Suppose she were one of those intriguing adventurers whom foreign
governments employ as agents？ Suppose the tale； more or less probable；
of that Russian princess forced to sell her furniture to Brigitte were
also that of this Hungarian countess？ And yet；〃 he continued； as his
brain made a third evolution in this frightful anarchy of ideas and
feelings； 〃her education； her manners； her language； all bespoke a
woman of the best position。 Besides； if she were only a bird of
passage； why have given herself so much trouble to win me over？〃
La Peyrade might have continued to plead thus for and against for a
long time had he not been suddenly grasped round the shoulders by a
strong arm and addressed in a well…known voice。
〃Take care！ my dear barrister； a frightful danger threatens you； you
are running right into it。〃
La Peyrade； thus arrested； looked round and found himself in the arms
of Phellion。
The scene took place in front of a house which was being pulled down
at the corner of the rues Duphot and Saint…Honore。 Posted on the
pavement of the other side of the street； Phellion； whose taste for
watching the process of building our readers may remember； had been
witnessing for the last fifteen minutes the drama of a wall about to
fall beneath the united efforts of a squadron of workmen。 Watch in
hand； the great citizen was estimating the length of the resistance
which that mass of freestone would present to the destructive labor of
which it was the object。 Precisely at the crucial moment of the
impending catastrophe la Peyrade； lost in the tumult of his thoughts；
was entering； heedless of the shouts addressed to him on all sides；
the radius within which the stones would fall。 Seen by Phellion （who；
it must be said； would have done the same for a total stranger） la
Peyrade undoubtedly owed his life to him； for； at the moment when he
was violently flung back by the vigorous grasp of the worthy citizen；
the wall fell with the noise of a cannon…shot； and the stones rolled
in clouds of dust almost to his very feet。
〃Are you blind and deaf？〃 said the workman whose business it was to
warn the passers； in a tone of amenity it is easy to imagine。
〃Thank you； my dear friend；〃 said la Peyrade； recalled to earth。 〃I
should certainly have been crushed like an idiot if it hadn't been for
you。〃
And he pressed Phellion's hand。
〃My reward；〃 replied the latter； 〃lies in the satisfaction of knowing
that you are saved from an imminent peril。 And I may say that that
satisfaction is mingled； for me； with a certain pride； for I was not
mistaken by a single second in the calculation which enabled me to
foresee the exact moment when that formidable mass would be displaced
from its centre of gravity。 But what were you thinking of； my dear
monsieur？ Probably of the plea you are about to make in the Thuillier
affair。 The public prints have informed me of the danger of
prosecution by the authorities which hangs above the head of our
estimable friend。 You have a noble cause to defend； monsieur。
Habituated as I am； through my labors as a member of the reading
committee of the Odeon； to judge of works of intellect； and with my
hand upon my conscience； I declare that after reading the incriminated
passages； I can find nothing in the tone of that pamphlet which
justifies the severe measures of which it is the object。 Between
ourselves；〃 added the great citizen； lowering his voice； 〃I think the
government has shown itself petty。〃
〃So I think；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃but I am not employed for the defence。
I have advised Thuillier to engage some noted lawyer。〃
〃It may be good advice；〃 said Phellion； 〃at any rate； it speaks well
for your modesty。 Poor man！ I went to him at once when the blow fell；
but I did not see him； I saw only Brigitte； who was having a
discussion with Madame de Godollo。 There is a woman with strong
political views； it seems she predicted that the seizure would be
made。〃
〃Did you know that the countess had left Paris？〃 said la Peyrade；
rushing at the chance of speaking on the subject of his present
monomania。
〃Ah！ left Paris； has she？〃 said Phellion。 〃Well； monsieur； I must tell
you that； although there was not much sympathy between us； I regard
her departure as a misfortune。 She will leave a serious void in the
salon of our friends。 I say this； because it is my belief； and I am
not in the habit of disguising my convictions。〃
〃Yes；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃she is certainly a very distinguished woman；
with whom in spite of her prejudice against me； I think I should have
come to an understanding。 But this morning； without leaving any word
as to where she was going； she started suddenly with post…horses。〃
〃Post…horses！〃 said Phellion。 〃I don't know whether you will agree
with me； monsieur； but I think that travelling by post is a most
agreeable method of conveyance。 Certainly Louis XI。； to whom we owe
the institution； had a fortunate inspiration in the matter； although；
on the other hand； his sanguinary and despotic government was not； to
my humble thinking； entirely devoid of reproach。 Once only in my life
have I used that method of locomotion； and I can truly say I found it
far superior； in spite of its inferior relative rapidity； to the
headlong course of what in England are called RAILWAYS； where speed is
attained only at the price of safety。〃
La Peyrade paid but little atten