“Are you ready?  Be quick!”

Adele turned to Celia.

“Not a word, remember!”

Wethermill flung open the door of the car.  Adele took the girl’s feet and drew them down to the step of the car.  Then she pushed her out.  Wethermill caught her in his arms and carried her to the landau.  Celia dared not cry out.  Her hands were helpless, her face at the mercy of that grim flask.  Just ahead of them the lights of Geneva were visible, and from the lights a silver radiance overspread a patch of sky.  Wethermill placed her in the landau; Adele sprang in behind her and closed the door.  The transfer had taken no more than a few seconds.  The landau jogged into Geneva; the motor turned and sped back over the fifty miles of empty road to Aix.

As the motor-car rolled away, courage returned for a moment to Celia.  The man—­the murderer—­had gone.  She was alone with Adele Rossignol in a carriage moving no faster than an ordinary trot.  Her ankles were free, the gag had been taken from her lips.  If only she could free her hands and choose a moment when Adele was off her guard she might open the door and spring out on to the road.  She saw Adele draw down the blinds of the carriage, and very carefully, very secretly, Celia began to work her hands behind her.  She was an adept; no movement was visible, but, on the other hand, no success was obtained.  The knots had been too cunningly tied.  And then Mme. Rossignol touched a button at her side in the leather of the carriage.

The touch turned on a tiny lamp in the roof of the carriage, and she raised a warning hand to Celia.

“Now keep very quiet.”

Right through the empty streets of Geneva the landau was quietly driven.  Adele had peeped from time to time under the blind.  There were few people in the streets.  Once or twice a sergent-de-ville was seen under the light of a lamp.  Celia dared not cry out.  Over against her, persistently watching her, Adele Rossignol sat with the open flask clenched in her hand, and from the vitriol Celia shrank with an overwhelming terror.  The carriage drove out from the town along the western edge of the lake.

“Now listen,” said Adele.  “As soon as the landau stops the door of the house opposite to which it stops will open.  I shall open the carriage door myself and you will get out.  You must stand close by the carriage door until I have got out.  I shall hold this flask ready in my hand.  As soon as I am out you will run across the pavement into the house.  You won’t speak or scream.”

Adele Rossignol turned out the lamp and ten minutes later the carriage passed down the little street and attracted Mme. Gobin’s notice.  Marthe Gobin had lit no light in her room.  Adele Rossignol peered out of the carriage.  She saw the houses in darkness.  She could not see the busybody’s face watching the landau from a dark window.  She cut the cords which fastened the girl’s hands.