“The very thing!” said the millionaire. “I’ll drive it myself. Off you go, Firmin; harness a horse to it.” Firmin went clumping out of the hall. It was perhaps as well that he went, for the Duke asked what time it was; and since the watches of Germaine and her father differed still, there ensued an altercation in which, had Firmin been there, he would doubtless have taken part. The Duke cut it short by saying: “Well, I don’t think I’ll wait to see you start for the station. It won’t take you more than half an hour. The cart is light. You needn’t start yet. I’d better get off as soon as the car is ready. It isn’t as though I could trust it.” “One moment,” said Germaine. “Is there a dining-car on the train? I’m not going to be starved as well as have my night’s rest cut to pieces.” “Of course there isn’t a dining-car,” snapped her father. “We must eat something now, and take something with us.” “Sonia, Irma, quick! Be off to the larder and see what you can find. Tell Mother Firmin to make an omelette. Be quick!” Sonia went towards the door of the hall, followed by Irma. “Good-night, and bon voyage, Mademoiselle Sonia,” said the Duke. “Good-night, and bon voyage, your Grace,” said Sonia. The Duke opened the door of the hall for her; and as she went out, she said anxiously, in a low voice: “Oh, do—do be careful. I hate to think of your hurrying to Paris on a night like this. Please be careful.” “I will be careful,” said the Duke. The honk of the motor-horn told him that Jean had brought the car to the door of the château. He came down the room, kissed Germaine’s hands, shook hands with the millionaire, and bade them good-night. Then he went out to the car. They heard it start; the rattle of it grew fainter and fainter down the long avenue and died away. M. Gournay-Martin arose, and began putting out lamps. As he did so, he kept casting fearful glances at the window, as if he feared lest, now that the Duke had gone, the burglars should dash in upon him. There came a knock at the door, and Jean appeared on the threshold. “His Grace told me that I was to come into the house, and help Firmin look after it,” he said. The millionaire gave him instructions about the guarding of the house. Firmin, since he was an old soldier, was to occupy the post of honour, and guard the hall, armed with his gun. Jean was to guard the two drawing-rooms, as being less likely points of attack. He also was to have a gun; and the millionaire went with him to the gun-room and gave him one and a dozen cartridges. When they came back to the hall, Sonia called them into the dining-room; and there, to the accompaniment of an unsubdued grumbling from Germaine at having to eat cold food at eight at night, they made a hasty but excellent meal, since the chef had left an elaborate cold supper ready to be served.