"A quarter-past nine," he said to himself. "This is madness."

And he also remembered that Gilbert and Vaucheray had behaved rather
queerly throughout the removal of the things, keeping close together
and apparently watching each other. What could be happening?

Lupin mechanically returned to the house, urged by a feeling of anxiety
which he was unable to explain; and, at the same time, he listened to a
dull sound which rose in the distance, from the direction of Enghien,
and which seemed to be coming nearer... People strolling about, no doubt...

He gave a sharp whistle and then went to the main gate, to take a glance
down the avenue. But, suddenly, as he was opening the gate, a shot rang
out, followed by a yell of pain. He returned at a run, went round the
house, leapt up the steps and rushed to the dining-room:

"Blast it all, what are you doing there, you two?"

Gilbert and Vaucheray, locked in a furious embrace, were rolling on the
floor, uttering cries of rage. Their clothes were dripping with blood.
Lupin flew at them to separate them. But already Gilbert had got his
adversary down and was wrenching out of his hand something which Lupin
had no time to see. And Vaucheray, who was losing blood through a wound
in the shoulder, fainted.

"Who hurt him? You, Gilbert?" asked Lupin, furiously.

"No, Leonard."