Page:The Old Countess (1927).pdf/365

 drowned!—Listen! Listen!—to one who loves you! It was for your sake—for the sake of your wife that I lied to you!—Yes! Yes! I have lied! So that you should not go to her!—so that you should not break your young wife's heart!—Oh, listen!—Stay one moment!—She is at the Manoir!—She is hidden in the Manoir!—So that you should not find her!—She begged me to keep her secret! She is in deadly fear of you!'

Turned away from her, his hand laid on her shoulder to force her from him, he had paused to hear what she might still bring forth; but now, again, came the sharp, the faltering bleat; unmistakable. The kid was on the island and Marthe was with it.

As he sprang down the path he dragged Madame de Lamouderie with him. She was clinging to his arm, clawing at his coat; her feet slipped and beat on the uneven path as she grappled with him. But one backward blow of his arm freed him at last. He heard her fall roughly on the stones, and as he bounded forward her wailing cry followed him—half curse, half lamentation: 'Insensate! Mad! Cruel! You will drown! You will die! The dyke is down! You will not find her!'