"Remember, Mademoiselle, that you and your family at this moment are absolutely in my power, and that it is only because of my regard for you that I let you all now depart from here in peace." Whether she heard or not, he could not say; certain it is that she made no reply, nor did she turn toward him at all. The light of the lanthorn lit up her delicate profile, pale and drawn, her tightly pressed lips, the look of utter contempt in her eyes, which even the fitful shadow cast by her hair over her brows could not altogether conceal. The Comte had given what instructions he wished to Pierre. He stood by the carriage door waiting for his daughter: no doubt he had heard what went on between her and de Marmont, and was content to leave her to deal what scorn was necessary for the humiliation of the traitor. He helped Crystal into the carriage, and also the unfortunate Jeanne; finally he too followed, and pulled the door to behind him. Victor did not wait to see the coach make a start. He gave the order to remount. "How far are we from St. Priest?" he asked. "Not eight kilomètres, mon Colonel," was the reply. "En avant then, ventre-à-terre!" he commanded, as he swung himself into the saddle. The great high road between Grenoble and Lyons is very wide, and Pierre had no need to draw his horses to one side, as de Marmont and his troop, after much scrambling, champing of bits and clanking of metal, rode at a sharp trot past the coach and him. For some few moments the sound of the horses' hoofs on the hard road kept the echoes of the night busy with their resonance, but soon that sound grew fainter and fainter still--after five minutes it died away altogether. M. de Comte put his head out of the window. "Eh bien, Pierre," he called, "why don't we start?" The postillion cracked his whip; Pierre shouted to his horses; the heavy coach groaned and creaked and was once more on its way. In the interior no one spoke. Jeanne's terror had melted in a silent flow of tears. Lyons was reached shortly before midnight. M. le Comte's carriage had some difficulty in entering the town, as by orders of M. le Comte d'Artois it had already been placed in a state of defence against the possible advance of the "band of pirates from Corsica." The bridge of La Guillotière had been strongly barricaded and it took M. le Comte de Cambray some little time to establish his identity before the officer in command of the post allowed him to proceed on his way. The town was fairly full owing to the presence of M. le Comte d'Artois, who had taken up his quarters at the archiepiscopal palace, and of his staff, who were scattered in various houses about the town. Nevertheless M. le Comte and his family were fortunate enough in obtaining comfortable accommodation at the Hotel Bourbon. The party was very tired, and after a light supper retired to bed.