4. A Story of Brigands

Maroussia continued her story:

“To regain her strength, the young woman seated herself at the bottom of a rock, which seemed as if held with enormous pincers by the great roots of an immense tree. She was very slight, and yet the rock yielded so suddenly under her weight that she fell over backwards.”

“Good,” said the Envoy, “that was the brigands’ door.”

“Yes, it was the door, the mysterious door. She was so astonished at her fall that she remained some moments without moving. Where was she? A dark green gallery enlarged itself in the shape of a vault above her head; the light did not penetrate it, except in small stars or in rays as fine as a hair; here and there were little points of blue sky.

“Recovered from her surprise, she arose, marked the place of the invisible entrance with a white stone, and had the wisdom to return to the château to be sure of what her husband and his companions were doing.

“They were all sleeping profoundly, as people do who have exhausted their strength. On the tips of her toes, she went from door to door, pushing without noise all the bolts and closing the blinds. It was a wise precaution. She took another which was not bad either; it was to exchange her white dress, which she usually wore, for a black one; then she went with a careless air to the place marked by the white stone. When she had found it, she exclaimed, ‘Dear me!’ with a great sigh; but it was not sufficient just to sigh. She leaned against the rock as she had done before, and at once passed through a second time; the tall stone door, which was made to look like a rock, was arranged, it seemed, to close itself. She was soon on her feet in the gallery, she began to walk, then to run.

“At the end of a half-hour she came to a place where ten roads spread out in different directions. Which of them ought she to take? It was a very embarrassing question.”

“Certainly,” said the Envoy.

“She took some steps in one of these roads, and then in another, and thus with the rest, as if to try them. It was of the highest importance not to be deceived. The trouble was that they were all alike, and this made it difficult to choose. Nevertheless, in one of these roads she saw something white. She ran to it. It was a small handkerchief, with beautifully embroidered corners.

“I hear something following us,” said Maroussia, interrupting her story. The Envoy had heard it also. He took Maroussia by the arm, and placed himself before her, with his raised stick in his hand.

“Ah!” said Maroussia, “it is a very large dog.”

The Envoy gave a sudden jump and Maroussia was astonished to see how quickly with his heavy stick he felled the animal to the ground unawares.

What took place then between the man and the beast? The Envoy had his knee on the ground; when he arose, the animal was lifeless at his feet.