Madame Grevin, who was rather obstinate, insisted on knowing what the noise meant.

She rose, left the room, and came face to face with the five masked men, who treated her as they had treated the farmer and the valet.

Then they rushed into the salon, where the two strongest seized and gagged Malin, and carried him off into the park, while the three others remained behind to gag Madame Marion and Grevin and lash them to their armchairs.

The whole affair did not take more than half an hour.
The three unknown men, who were quickly rejoined by the two who had carried off the senator, then proceeded to ransack the chateau from cellar to garret.

They opened all closets and doors, and sounded the walls; until five o'clock they were absolute masters of the place.