Looking about him, to see how he could best rejoin his comrades within the building, his eyes fell upon the porch guarded by the two huge, calm sphinxes, and he wisely concluded that through it must lie his way to the scene of action.
Meantime de Sigognac, Scapin and Lampourde, having a chance to look about them, were horrified to find that they were prisoners in the room where the battle had been fought.

In vain they tried to burst open the stout oaken door which was their only means of egress--for the tree had, but a moment before, given way and fallen with a loud crash into the moat; in vain they strove to cut through one of the panels, or force the lock from its fastenings.

To de Sigognac this delay was maddening, for he knew that the Duke of Vallombreuse had carried Isabelle away, and that he must still be with her.

He worked like a giant himself, and incited the others to redouble their efforts; making battering rams of various pieces of furniture--resorting to every means that their ingenuity could devise--but without making the least impression on the massive barrier.

They had paused in dismay, when suddenly a slight, grinding noise was heard, like a key turning in a lock, and the door, so unsuccessfully attacked, opened as if by magic before them.
"What good angel has come to our aid ?" cried de Sigognac; "and by what miracle does this door open of itself, after having so stoutly resisted all our efforts ?" "There is neither angel nor miracle; only Chiquita," answered a quiet little voice, as the child appeared from behind the door, and fixed her great, dark, liquid eyes calmly on de Sigognac.