Day broke at last. Auguste rose, dressed himself with care, and went out, leaving Bertrand still asleep. The place appointed for the meeting was a very long way from Signora Falenza's abode; but Auguste supposed that Cecilia had chosen it from prudential motives. He traversed a large part of the city, followed the bank of the Po, and at last reached the little wood, where he hoped soon to see his young landlady. He waited patiently a long while; hope sustained him; it must be that some accident had kept Cecilia at home. But several hours passed and the fair Italian did not come. Auguste, weary of walking back and forth on the same spot, decided at last to return to the house, cursing the mischance that had prevented Cecilia from keeping her appointment. As he approached the suburb where he lived, Auguste saw Bertrand in front of him, evidently returning home, like himself; he quickened his pace in order to overtake him. When the ex-corporal caught sight of his master, he uttered a cry of joy, saying: "Morbleu! you are not wounded?" "Why in the devil should I be wounded?" demanded Auguste. "What would there be so surprising about it, monsieur, when you have been fighting a duel?" "A duel--I?" "At all events that's what our landlady told me this morning; she declared that a young man called for you at daybreak, and that from the few words that fell from you she gathered that there was a duel in the wind." "Parbleu! this is very strange!" "She even mentioned several places where she thought you might have gone to settle your dispute; so that, since early morning, I've been running in all directions, and have been well laughed at by everybody that I asked if they'd seen two men fighting." "I don't understand it at all, Bertrand." "Do you mean to say that it isn't all true?" "There isn't a word of truth in it." "Ah! that old signora shall learn that I'm not to be made a fool of like this." "Let's hurry, Bertrand." "What's the matter, lieutenant? You seem anxious." "Yes. I'm afraid that the niece has made a fool of me too. Here have I been waiting for her in vain three hours and more at the other end of the city." "Ten thousand bullets! there's something very crooked in this long excursion they made us both take. Didn't I tell you, lieutenant, that the old woman made too many reverences?" "Perhaps we are frightened without cause. But here we are. Knock, Bertrand." Bertrand knocked, but no one opened the door. He knocked again until the window panes rattled, and there was no response. "What does this mean, lieutenant?" he cried, looking at Auguste. "Why, it means that there's no one here, that is very certain." "Still, we must get in." As he spoke, he broke in the door with a kick, and entered the house, followed by his master. It was deserted; they had carried off everything except a few wretched pieces of furniture, and the travellers' apartment too was dismantled. "We are robbed, monsieur," said Bertrand.