\"Cometothywife，\"saidMichel，dragginghimtowardthegate;
\"Delphine，thylittleone，islostonthesands。\"
Thewholecrowdheardthewords，forMichel’svoicewaspitchedinahigh，shrillkey，whichrangabovetheclamourandthebabel。Therewasaninstanthush，everyonelisteningtoMichel，andeveryeyefasteneduponhim。Nicolasstaredblanklyathim，asifunabletounderstandhim，yetgrowingpassiveunderhissenseofbewilderment。
\"ThechildrenwhowentoutwithDelphinethismorningarecomeback，\"
continuedMichel，inthesameforcedtone;\"theyarecomebackwithouther。Sheislostonthesands。Thenightisfalling，andthereisafog。Itellyouthelittleoneisalone，quitealone，uponthesands;