"Well, have you finished?" said Tomboy."What is the use of telling us all this rubbish?"
"Take care," resumed Adrienne, who wished to try every means; "if you detain me here by force, it will be very serious.You do not know to what you expose yourselves."
"Will you come to bed; yes or no?" said Gervaise, in a tone of harsh impatience.
"Listen to me, madame," resumed Adrienne, precipitately, "let me out this place, and I will give each of you two thousand francs.It is not enough? I will give you ten--twenty--whatever you ask.I am rich--only let me out for heaven's sake, let me out!--I cannot remain here--I am afraid." As she said this, the tone of the poor girl's voice was heartrending.
"Twenty thousand francs!--that's the usual figure, ain't it, Tomboy?"
"Let be, Gervaise! they all sing the same song."
"Well, then? since reasons, prayers, and menaces are all in vain," said Adrienne gathering energy from her desperate position, "I declare to you that I will go out and that instantly.We will see if you are bold enough to employ force against me."
So saying, Adrienne advanced resolutely towards the door.But, at this moment, the wild hoarse cries, which had preceded the noise of the struggle that had so frightened her, again resounded; only, this time they were not accompanied by the movement of feet.
"Oh! what screams!" said Adrienne, stopping short, and in her terror drawing nigh to the two women."Do you not hear those cries? What, then, is this house, in which one hears such things? And over there, too," added she almost beside herself, as she pointed to the other wing where the lighted windows shone through the darkness, and the white figure continued to pass and repass before it; "over there! do you see?