night, another idea occurred to him. He would send to the livery
stable for a landau, and all four would go to see Charles at Uncle
Macquart's. It would even be a delightful drive. It was not quite
three leagues from Plassans to the Tulettes--an hour to go, and an
hour to return, and they would still have almost two hours to remain
there, if they wished to be back by seven. Martine would get dinner,
and Maxime would have time enough to dine and catch his train.

But Felicite objected, visibly disquieted by this visit to Macquart.

"Oh, no, indeed! If you think I am going down there in this frightful
weather, you are mistaken. It is much simpler to send some one to
bring Charles to us."

Pascal shook his head. Charles was not always to be brought back when
one wished. He was a boy without reason, who sometimes, if the whim
seized him, would gallop off like an untamed animal. And old Mme.
Rougon, overruled and furious at having been unable to make any
preparation, was at last obliged to yield, in the necessity in which
she found herself of leaving the matter to chance.

"Well, be it as you wish, then! Good Heavens, how unfortunately things
have turned out!"

Martine hurried away to order the landau, and before three o'clock had
struck the horses were on the Nice road, descending the declivity
which slopes down to the bridge over the Viorne. Then they turned to
the left, and followed the wooded banks of the river for about two
miles. After this the road entered the gorges of the Seille, a narrow
pass between two giant walls of rock scorched by the ardent rays of