But when he arrived at the broken footway bridge, all was over.

A little farther, he fancied he saw a shadow in an osier bed, but when he waded to it, all was hushed.

He called, but no sound responded.

All seemed a vision--victim and assassins.
And his wife was flying, by the train which had merely stopped to take her up.

As every resident is known at these suburban stations, he refrained from an inquiry which would have made him a laughing-stock.
Since Cesarine had returned, the conflict of duty and passion would be resumed and he felt sure that he had been defeated before.