He bowed his head, murmured something, and gesticulated
confusedly with the hand that he was free to use.
"Look!" cried the old officer; "look, Berthelin; he denies the
man's identity."
"Do you hear that?" said the general, appealing to Trudaine.
"Have you proofs to confute him? If you have, produce them
instantly."
Before the answer could be given the door leading into the
drawing-room from the staircase was violently flung open, and
Madame Danville--her hair in disorder, her face in its colorless
terror looking like the very counterpart of her son's--appeared
on the threshold, with the old man Dubois and a group of amazed
and startled servants behind her.
"For God's sake, don't sign! for God's sake, come away!" she
cried. "I have seen your wife--in the spirit, or in the flesh, I
know not which--but I have seen her. Charles! Charles! as true as
Heaven is above us, I have seen your wife!"
"You have seen her in the flesh, living and breathing as you see
her brother yonder," said a firm, quiet voice, from among the
servants on the landing outside.
"Let that man enter, whoever he is!" cried the general.
Lomaque passed Madame Danville on the threshold. She trembled as
he brushed by her; then, supporting herself by the wall, followed
him a few paces into the room. She looked first at her son--after
that, at Trudaine--after that back again at her son.
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