"There was a loud clamour, and cries as if they were cutting one another's
throats, which, in fact, they were. The shouts and cries were mingled with
the noise of musketry, the sound of the trumpets, and roll of the drum.
There was a strong smell of powder. The fight was evidently going on
within a hundred yards of the grotto.

"Suddenly there was a deep sigh, then the noise of a fall, and one of the
sentries at the mouth of the cave came rolling to our feet. A random shot
had struck him, and as he just fell in, a ray of light which entered the
grotto, we were able to see him writhing in the agonies of death.
Mademoiselle Zephyrine seized my hands, and I felt that she trembled
violently.

"'Oh, M. Louet.' said she, 'it is very horrible to see a man die!'

"At that moment we heard a voice exclaiming--'Stop, cowardly villain! Wait
for me!'

"'Ernest!' exclaimed Zephyrine. 'It is the voice of Ernest!'

"As she spoke the captain rushed in, covered with blood.

"'Zephyrine!' cried he, 'Zephyrine, where are you?'

"The sudden change from the light of day to the darkness of the cave,
prevented him from seeing us. Zephyrine made me a sign to keep silence.
After remaining for a moment as if dazzled, his eyes got accustomed to the
darkness. He bounded towards us with the spring of a tiger.

"'Zephyrine, why don't you answer when I call? Come!'