a thousand-voiced jeer, answered them from within. In the
carriages every one was standing; many had mounted the seats, Mary and
Alice among the number. It seemed as if the horses' pace increased the
nearer they came; both coachman and groom were tugging at the reins with
might and main, but this only excited them the more. A man wearing a
tall hat was leaning his whole body out of the carriage, probably to
discover where he was going to break his neck. Some dogs were following,
with strenuous protest. Up here they allured others on to the road, but
these did not venture far out. Two or three that did, knocked up against
each other with such violence that one fell and was run over; the
carriage bounded, the dog howled; his comrades stopped for a moment.

Now a man, disengaging himself from the crowd at the iron gate, ran into
the middle of the road. People shouted to him; they waved with sticks
and umbrellas; they threatened. Two gendarmes ventured out a few steps
after him and gesticulated and shouted; a single park-keeper inside the
gate did the same, but ran back terrified. Instead of attending to these
shouts and threats, the man measured the horses with his eye, moved to
the left, to the right, back again to the left ... evidently preparing
to throw himself on them.

The moment the crowd comprehended this, it became silent, so silent that
the birds could be heard singing in the trees. And heard, too, the dull,
distant sound from the giant town, which never ceases, borne hither by
the breeze. Its monotonous tone underlay the twitter of the birds.
Strange it was, but the horses of the carriages drawn up by the
roadside stood as intent as the human beings; they did not stir a foot.

The frantic pair reach the man in the middle of the avenue. He turns
with the speed of an arrow in the direction they are going, and runs
along with them, flinging himself against the side of the horse next
him....

"It is he!" cried Alice, deathly pale, and gripping Mary so violently
that they were both on the point of toppling over. Women's screams
resounded wild and shrill, the deeper roars of the men following. He was
now hanging on to the horse. Alice closed her eyes. Mary turned away.
Was he running, or was he being dragged? Stop them he could not!

Again a few seconds of terrible silence; only the dogs and the horses'
hoofs were heard. Then a short cry, then thousands, then jubilation,
wild, endless jubilation--handkerchiefs wav