"You sent," said he, "to say that you would await me to-night, and to ask for the necklace to adorn yourself for my coming." Though he was dying, I could hardly control myself to hear him speak such words. But Marie, in the same calm scornful voice asked: "By whom did the message come?" "By your mother," said he, gazing at her eagerly. "And I sent mine--the one I told you--by her. Marie, was it not true?" he cried, dragging himself nearer to her. "True!" she echoed--and no more. But it was enough. For an instant he glared at her; then he cried: "That old fiend has played a trick on me! She has got the necklace!" And I began to understand the smile that I had seen on Mme. Delhasse's face, and her marvelous good humor; and I began to have my opinion concerning her evening stroll to Pontorson. Bontet and Pierre had been matched against more than they thought. The duke, painfully supported on his hand, drew nearer still to Marie; but she rose to her feet and retreated a pace as he advanced. And he said: "But you love me, Marie? You would have--" She interrupted him. "Above all men I loathe you!" she said, looking on him with shrinking and horror in her face. His wound was heavy on him--he was shot in the stomach and was bleeding inwardly--and had drawn his features; his pain brought a sweat on his brow, and his arm, trembling, scarce held him. Yet none of these things made the anguish in his eyes as he looked at her. "This is the man I love," said she in calm relentlessness. And she put out her hand and took mine, and drew me to her, passing her arm through mine. The Duke of Saint-Maclou looked up at us; then he dropped his head, heavily and with a thud on the sand, and so lay till we thought he was dead. Yet it might be that his life could be saved, and I said to Marie: "Stay by him, while I run for help." "I will not stay by him," she said. "Then do you go," said I. "Stop the first people you meet; or, if you see none, go to the inn. And bid them bring help to carry a wounded man and procure a doctor." She nodded her head, and, without a glance at him, started running along the sands toward the road. And I, left alone with him, sat down and raised him, as well as I could, turning his face upward again and resting it on my thigh. And I wiped his brow. And, after a time, he opened his eyes. "Help will be here soon," I said. "She has gone to bring help." Full ten minutes passed slowly; he lay breathing with difficulty, and from time to time I wiped his brow. At last he spoke. "There's some brandy in my pocket. Give it me," he said. I found the flask and gave him some of its contents, which kept the life in him for a little longer. And I was glad to feel that he settled himself, as though more comfortably, against me. "What happened?" he asked very faintly.