"It's strange," said Raymond; "I still hear the same noise. Why--it's in this direction--in the thicket! What the devil are they doing there?" Monsieur de Marsan went forward; Raymond followed him. The moon at that moment was much too bright! we were petrified. "It's Almaviva and Rosine!" said Raymond, jumping back. Monsieur de Marsan alone retained his presence of mind. "Madame," he said, calmly addressing his wife, "your guests are asking for you; you are needed for the festivities; you must try to arrange your business and your pleasures so that they will not interfere with each other." With that, he coolly turned on his heel and returned to the house. Madame de Marsan had fainted; Raymond stood like a statue. I rushed from the thicket, pushing him roughly aside, in an instant was at the courtyard, then on the Paris road, and reached the capital at two in the morning. XXVI WHERE WILL IT END? After the adventure of the thicket, it was impossible for me to go again to Madame de Marsan's house, or to see her in public. So that we were obliged to cover our liaison with a veil of mystery. With many women that fact would have simply added to the charm; but I was afraid that with Madame de Marsan, who loved to be surrounded by adorers and by admiring homage, the impossibility of gratifying her vanity by her conquest of me would speedily abate her love. If we no longer met at her house, it was solely out of respect for the proprieties; for, as Raymond had witnessed the catastrophe, I had no doubt that it was known to everybody. What surprised me most was that I had not seen him since that memorable evening: a week had passed, and I had not even met him on the stairs; doubtless he dreaded my wrath. He evidently kept out of sight when he heard me coming; for as we lived on the same landing and both went in and out several times during the day, we did not usually pass two days without meeting.