He saw at a glance what had happened. The girl they had
come to bear away was dead! How? He knew not; but the Intendant
must not be suffered to make an alarm. There was danger of
discovery on all sides now, and the necessity of concealment was a
thousand times greater than ever. There was no time to question,
but instant help was needed. In amaze at the spectacle before him,
Cadet instantly flew to the assistance of the Intendant.
He approached Bigot without speaking a word, although his great eyes
expressed a look of sympathy never seen there before. He disengaged
the dead form of Caroline tenderly from the embrace of Bigot, and
laid it gently upon the floor, and lifting Bigot up in his stout
arms, whispered hoarsely in his ear, "Keep still, Bigot! keep still!
not one word! make no alarm! This is a dreadful business, but we
must go to another room to consider calmly, calmly, mind, what it
means and what is to be done."
"Oh, Cadet! Cadet!" moaned the Intendant, still resting on his
shoulder, "she is dead! dead! when I just wanted her to live! I
have been hard with women, but if there was one I loved it was she
who lies dead before me! Who, who has done this bloody deed to me?"
"Who has done it to her, you mean! You are not killed yet, old
friend, but will live to revenge this horrid business!" answered
Cadet with rough sympathy.
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