Theintelligencewehadfromherinspiredustopushforward,sparingneitherspurnorhorseflesh,inthehopethatwemightovertakeBruhlbeforenightshouldexposehiscaptivestofreshhardshipsanddangers.ButthepitchtowhichthedismalsightsandsoundsIhavementioned,andahundredlikethem,hadraisedthefearsofmyfollowingdidmuchtobalkmyendeavours.Forawhile,indeed,undertheinfluenceofmomentaryexcitement,theyspurredtheirhorsestothegallop,asiftheirmindsweremadeuptofacetheworst;butpresentlytheycheckedthemdespiteallmyefforts,and,laggingslowlyandmoreslowly,seemedtoloseallspiritandenergy.Thedesolationwhichmetoureyesoneveryside,nolessthanthedeath-likestillnesswhichprevailed,eventhebirds,asitseemedtous,beingsilent,chilledthemostrecklesstotheheart.Maignan\'sfacelostitscolour,hisvoiceitsring.Asfortherest,startingatasoundandwincingifaleathergalledthem,theyglancedbackwardstwiceforoncetheylookedforwards,andheldthemselvesreadytotaketotheirheelsandbegoneattheleastalarm.
Notingthesesigns,anddoubtingifIcouldtrustevenMaignan,I
thoughtitprudenttochangemyplace,andfallingtotherear,rodetherewithagrimfaceandapistolreadytomyhand.ItwasnottheleastofmyannoyancesthatM.d\'Agenappearedtobeignorantofanycauseforapprehensionsavesuchaslaybeforeus,andridingoninthesamegloomyfitwhichhadpossessedhimfromthemomentofstarting,neithersoughtmyopinionnorgavehisown,butseemedtohaveundergonesocompleteandmysteriousachangethatIcouldthinkofonethingonlythatcouldhavepowertoeffectsomarvellousatransformation.Ifelthispresenceatrialratherthanahelp,andreviewingthecourseofourshortfriendship,whichadayortwobeforehadbeensogreatadelighttome——asthefriendshipofayoungmancommonlyistoonegrowingold——Ipuzzledmyselfwithmuchwonderingwhethertherecouldberivalrybetweenus.
Sunset,whichwaswelcometomycompany,sinceitremovedthehaze,whichtheyregardedwithsuperstitiousdread,foundusstillploddingthroughacountryoflowridgesandshallowvalleys,bothclothedinoak-woods.Itsshortbrightnessdiedaway,andwithitmylasthopeofsurprisingBruhlbeforeI
slept.Darknessfelluponusaswewendedourwayslowlydownasteephillsidewherethepathwassonarrowanddifficultastopermitonlyonetodescendatatime.Astreamofsomesize,ifwemightjudgefromthenoiseitmade,pouredthroughtheravinebelowus,andpresently,atthepointwherewebelievedthecrossingtobe,weespiedasolitarylightshiningintheblackness.Toproceedfartherwasimpossible,forthegroundgrewmoreandmoreprecipitous;and,seeingthis,IbadeMaignandismount,andleavinguswherewewere,goforaguidetothehousefromwhichthelightissued.