As it happened, Monsieur Georges was there, and he helped me to lift her up, and directly a miscarriage was mentioned he felt ill in his turn! Oh, it's true I've had the hump since yesterday!" In fact, the house seemed utterly upset.

All the servants were galloping upstairs, downstairs and through the rooms.

Georges had passed the night on an armchair in the drawing room.

It was he who had announced the news to Madame's friends at that hour of the evening when Madame was in the habit of receiving.

He had still been very pale, and he had told his story very feelingly, and as though stupefied.