Page:Man Who Laughs (Estes and Lauriat 1869) v2.djvu/98

78 with grave and magisterial step proceeded towards the door of the Green Box.

Gwynplaine looked at Ursus. The latter went through a pantomime composed as follows: he shrugged his shoulders, placed both elbows close to his hips, with his hands out, and knitted his brows into chevrons, all intended to signify: "We must submit to the inevitable."

Gwynplaine looked at Dea. She was still in a dream. She was still smiling. He put the tips of his fingers to his lips, and waved her an unutterable kiss.

Ursus, who had partially recovered from his terror now that the wapentake's back was turned, seized this opportunity to whisper in Gwynplaine's ear: "On your life, do not speak until you are questioned."

Gwynplaine, with the same care to avoid noise that he would have taken in a sick room, took his hat and cloak from the hook on the partition, wrapped himself up to the eyes in the cloak, and pulled his hat down over his forehead. Not having been to bed, he had his working clothes still on, and his leather collar round his neck. Once more he looked at Dea. Having reached the door, the wapentake raised his staff and began to descend the steps, Gwynplaine following as if the man was dragging him by an invisible chain. Ursus watched Gwynplaine leave the Green Box. At that moment the wolf gave a low growl, but Ursus quieted him by whispering, "He is coming back."

In the yard. Master Nicless was trying to silence with imperious gestures the cries of terror raised by Vinos and Fibi, as they watched Gwynplaine led away by this formidable-looking official. The two girls were like petrifactions; they had the appearance of stalactites. Govicum, stunned, was gazing open-mouthed out of a window.

The wapentake preceded Gwynplaine by a few steps,