Auguste is here with a cab. Does
madame desire to use it?"
"No, Auguste can get us another. You take his."
Auguste, the man-servant, had come up meanwhile and greeted his
mistress. He shot a quick glance at the strange gentleman on whose
aim she leaned, but it was more expressive of curiosity than
surprise; he then hurried away to carry out the remarkable orders
Anne had dryly transmitted to him. Soon after he reappeared, and
announced that the other fiacre was there. Fido, released from the
captivity of the dog-box, sprang upon the countess with short-
breathed barks that soon degenerated into a cough, and wagged his
tail and frolicked madly about. When Pilar and Wilhelm entered their
cab, Anne and Auguste remaining outside, the dog seemed undecided as
to which party he was to follow. Chancing to catch Wilhelm's eye, he
made up his mind, jumped into the cab, regardless of Anne's angry
call, and licked Wilhelm's hand delightedly, accepting his friendly
pat as an invitation to stay.
By Pilar's direction the cab took them to an hotel in the Rue de
Rivoli. As they drove along Pilar leaned silently in her corner,
only heaving a deep sigh from time to time; and Wilhelm, too, found
nothing to say, oppressed as he was by the consciousness of being in
an untenable situation, the eventual end of which he could not
foresee.
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