"
In a few minutes Desiree, having read the letter twice, handed it to
her sister. It was characteristically short.
"We have found a man here," wrote Louis d'Arragon, "who travelled as
far as Vilna with Charles. There they parted. Charles, who was
ordered to Warsaw on staff work, told his friend that you were in
Dantzig, and that, foreseeing a siege of the city, he had written to
you to join him at Warsaw. This letter has doubtless been lost. I
am following Charles to Warsaw, tracing him step by step, and if he
has fallen ill by the way, as so many have done, shall certainly
find him. Barlasch returns to bring you to Thorn, if you elect to
join Charles. I will await you at Thorn, and if Charles has
proceeded, we will follow him to Warsaw."
Barlasch, who had watched Desiree, now followed Mathilde's eyes as
they passed to and fro over the closely written lines. As she
neared the end, and her face, upon which deep shadows had been
graven by sorrow and suspense, grew drawn and hopeless, he gave a
curt laugh.
"There were two," he said, "travelling together--the Colonel de
Casimir and the husband of--of la petite. They had facilities--name
of God!--two carriages and an escort. In the carriages they had
some of the Emperor's playthings--holy pictures, the imperial loot--
I know not what. Besides that, they had some of their own--not furs
and candlesticks such as we others carried on our backs, but gold
and jewellery enough to make a man rich all his life.
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