Yes, monsieur, on the floor in a pool of blood, as
though she had been murdered. Then I understood, you see. I was furious;
Madame might quite well have confided her trouble to me. 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. Steiner, La Faloise,
Philippe and others, besides, had presented themselves, and at the end
of the lad's first phrase they burst into exclamations. The thing was
impossible! It must be a farce! After which they grew serious and gazed
with an embarrassed expression at her bedroom door. They shook their
heads; it was no laughing matter.
Till midnight a dozen gentlemen had stood talking in low voices in front
of the fireplace.
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