Out of the Past — page 101: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

98 Out of the Past. had acted but a short half-hour ago. But it was gone. It had been little more than a smoldering ember fanned to burning activity by the breath of another. Saline’s effects were brought to her by two weeping maids, one of whom insisted upon following her fortunes, with or without wages, and altogether, women, bundles and trunks, they were placed in a cab and were driven away from the hotel on the Boulevard Haussman, as the clocks were striking the early morning hour. At the same time Rose bade Mme. Blanc good-night, after an explanatory chat, and mounted to her room. As she was about to turn the latch a disheveled object flew up the stairs and dropped at her feet with half a laugh and half a sob. Babette cried: “Tt is M’amselle, dear M’amselle. I thought it was the saints when I heard your voice.” ! Here the child lapsed into incoherence as Rose drew her to her feet and kissed her warmly on either cheek. In his room above Robert heard and wondered anx- iously what chance had brought his beloved to the house at so strange an hour, and continued to ponder over it for half the remaining night, while M. Vignaud, in his costly hotel, paced from room to room, memory filled, haunted with a vivid presence, false and unstable but glo- rious, until the dying night gave way to the dull day. ECOLNICLOOOKS nO