“The most significant thing to my mind is that fact about Margaret which we are certain of,” said Dr Porhoët. “All works that deal with the Black Arts are unanimous upon the supreme efficacy of the virginal condition.” “But what is to be done?” asked Arthur is desperation. “We can’t leave her in the hands of a raving madman.” He turned on a sudden deathly white. “For all we know she may be dead now.” “Have you ever heard of Gilles de Rais?” said Dr Porhoët, continuing his reflections. “That is the classic instance of human sacrifice. I know the country in which he lived; and the peasants to this day dare not pass at night in the neighbourhood of the ruined castle which was the scene of his horrible crimes.” “It’s awful to know that this dreadful danger hangs over her, and to be able to do nothing.” “We can only wait,” said Dr Porhoët. “And if we wait too long, we may be faced by a terrible catastrophe.” “Fortunately we live in a civilized age. Haddo has a great care of his neck. I hope we are frightened unduly.” It seemed to Susie that the chief thing was to distract Arthur, and she turned over in her mind some means of directing his attention to other matters. “I was thinking of going down to Chartres for two days with Mrs Bloomfield,” she said. “Won’t you come with me? It is the most lovely cathedral in the world, and I think you will find it restful to wander about it for a little while. You can do no good, here or in London. Perhaps when you are calm, you will be able to think of something practical.” Dr Porhoët saw what her plan was, and joined his entreaties to hers that Arthur should spend a day or two in a place that had no associations for him. Arthur was too exhausted to argue, and from sheer weariness consented. Next day Susie took him to Chartres. Mrs Bloomfield was no trouble to them, and Susie induced him to linger for a week in that pleasant, quiet town. They passed many hours in the stately cathedral, and they wandered about the surrounding country. Arthur was obliged to confess that the change had done him good, and a certain apathy succeeded the agitation from which he had suffered so long. Finally Susie persuaded him to spend three or four weeks in Brittany with Dr Porhoët, who was proposing to revisit the scenes of his childhood. They returned to Paris. When Arthur left her at the station, promising to meet her again in an hour at the restaurant where they were going to dine with Dr Porhoët, he thanked her for all she had done.