Wogan had the carriage door open before Clementina had reached the foot of the stairs; it was shut upon her and her companion almost before they were aware they were within it; the carriage started almost before the door was shut.

Yet when it did start, Wogan was beside Gaydon upon the box.
Their movements, indeed, occurred with so exact a rapidity, that though the hostess at once followed O'Toole to bid her guests farewell, when she reached the big doors she saw only the back of the carriage lurching through the ruts of snow.
"Quick!" cried Wogan; "we have lost too much time." "A bare twenty minutes," said Gaydon.
"A good twelve hours," said Wogan.
Gaydon lashed the horses into a gallop, the horses strained at their collars, the carriage raced out of the town and up the slopes of the Brenner.

The princess Clementina had been rescued from her prison.
"But we must keep her free!" cried Wogan, as he blew through his gloves upon his frozen fingers.

"Faster! Faster!" The incline was steep, the snow clogged the wheels, the horses sank deep in it.

Gaydon might ply his whip as he would, the carriage might lurch and leap from side to side; the pace was all too slow for Wogan.
"We have lost twelve hours," he cried.