assistance. The carriage was immediately driven up to the old
monastery, and the marquis recognized his neighbors, Monsieur and
Madame de Granville, who at once gave up their carriage to the service
of the two gentlemen. Madame de Granville had with her, by chance, a
bottle of salts, which revived the colonel for a moment. When he
opened his eyes he turned them to the meadow, where the unknown woman
was still running and uttering her distressing cries. A smothered
exclamation escaped him, which seemed to express a sense of horror;
then he closed his eyes again, and made a gesture as if to implore his
friend to remove him from that sight.

Monsieur and Madame de Granville placed their carriage entirely at the
disposal of the marquis, assuring him courteously that they would like
to continue their way on foot.

"Who is that lady?" asked the marquis, signing toward the unknown
woman.

"I believe she comes from Moulins," replied Monsieur de Granville.
"She is the Comtesse de Vandieres, and they say she is mad; but as she
has only been here two months I will not vouch for the truth of these
hearsays."

Monsieur d'Albon thanked his friends, and placing the colonel in the
carriage, started with him for Cassan.

"It is she!" cried Philippe, recovering his senses.

"Who is she?" asked d'Albon.