Nevertheless, the portress of the factory, who was, at the same time, M. Madeleine's only servant, noticed that the latter's light was extinguished at half-past eight, and she mentioned it to the cashier when he came home, adding:--
"Is Monsieur le Maire ill?
I thought he had a rather singular air."
This cashier occupied a room situated directly under M. Madeleine's chamber.
He paid no heed to the portress's words, but went to bed and to sleep.
Towards midnight he woke up with a start; in his sleep he had heard a noise above his head.
He listened; it was a footstep pacing back and forth, as though some one were walking in the room above him.
He listened more attentively, and recognized M. Madeleine's step.
This struck him as strange; usually, there was no noise in M. Madeleine's chamber until he rose in the morning.
A moment later the cashier heard a noise which resembled that of a cupboard being opened, and then shut again; then a piece of furniture was disarranged; then a pause ensued; then the step began again.
The cashier sat up in bed, quite awake now, and staring; and through his window-panes he saw the reddish gleam of a lighted window reflected on the opposite wall; from the direction of the rays, it could only come from the window of M. Madeleine's chamber.
The reflection wavered, as though it came rather from a fire which had been lighted than from a candle. The shadow of the window-frame was not shown, which indicated that the window was wide open.
The fact that this window was open in such cold weather was surprising.
The cashier fell asleep again. An hour or two later he waked again.
The same step was still passing slowly and regularly back and forth overhead.
The reflection was still visible on the wall, but now it was pale and peaceful, like the reflection of a lamp or of a candle. The window was still open.
This is what had taken place in M. Madeleine's room.
BOOK SEVENTH.--THE CHAMPMATHIEU AFFAIR