"'I assure you,' replied Delange, 'that her forehead and wrists alone are hurt. Miss Poles has always some plaister with her (rather stiff from the bath it has had), and at this moment she is dressing the wounds of the Baroness as skilfully as I could do it myself.' "'And you may add,' continued Périères, looking at me with a somewhat mournful smile, 'that Madame de Guéran is very anxious about you, my dear friend, and is wondering if you have not been crushed by the trees, carried away by the torrent, and, moreover, has insisted on our coming to look after you.' "'Then,' I exclaimed, 'let us hasten to set her mind at rest.' "'Come along, my rival,' whispered Périères to me. "But as he spoke, his unwounded hand sought mine, as if the brave fellow were asking for pardon for the momentary impulse of jealousy to which he had given way. "'Ah,' said I, as we all made our way towards the lower ledge, 'your safety is indeed, a source of joy to me; but I should be happier still if it were not for one thing—I have a revenge to take, and I do not see my way to it.' "'You have plenty of time before you,' replied Périères; 'our _rôle_ will, perhaps, speedily be reversed, and you will be the foremost.' "'That is what I long for.' "'De Morin,' said Delange, suddenly, 'suppose we have our little game?' "'Surely, Doctor, you are not serious?' said I. "'No, my dear fellow, I am too damp.' "'And a good thing, too,' I replied; 'for if you had been in earnest I would have throttled you, and so have got rid, once and for all, of you and your cards. I have no right to break my word, or to fail to carry out my engagement, but nothing prevents my putting an end to you.' "'Nothing, I admit. Only, you would not be placed in such an extremity. You lost yesterday, and it is I who have to meet your wishes.' "'True, I forgot it. Then I substitute a bet for the cards.' "'What?' "'That I will reach the rock near which I see Madame de Guéran before you do.' "'Done,' said Delange, 'it will warm me.' "He started off in the required direction in such earnest as to convince me that, however seriously his hands and face were damaged, his legs were intact. I left off running, for I did not want to come upon Madame de Guéran like an avalanche, though I was very anxious that she should see, as quickly as possible, that I was safe and sound. Delange thus became my unconscious messenger, and his run cost me a thousand francs. "When I reached Madame de Guéran, in due course, I held out my hands, which she grasped warmly, and as I looked at her I saw that she was pale and agitated. "'We escaped rather well!' said she, smiling. "'I thought you were dead,' was my reply. "'And what would you have done?' said she, turning towards me with that frank look which you one evening noticed. "'I should have died, too.' "'Truly?' she asked, still looking at me. "'Truly.'