You must go--at once," said the Duke.
"But how can I go?
No one can get out of the house.

M.Guerchard won't let them," cried Sonia, panic-stricken.
"We can get over that," said the Duke.
He ran to Guerchard's cloak, took the card-case from the inner pocket, went to the writing-table, and sat down.

He took from his waist-coat pocket the permit which Guerchard had given him, and a pencil.

Then he took a card from the card-case, set the permit on the table before him, and began to imitate Guerchard's handwriting with an amazing exactness.
He wrote on the card: "Pass Mademoiselle Kritchnoff." "J.

GUERCHARD." Sonia stood by his side, panting quickly with fear, and watched him do it.