India 2001 books

None of the party
in the salon slept, excepting Santerre; but they all sat silent; neither
Arthur nor Agatha dared to speak to each other on the subject which at
that time filled their thoughts. The night seemed dreadfully long to
Arthur, and yet hardly long enough. He discovered soon after his return,
that it was Santerre's purpose to burn the chateau early in the morning,
and then to take the inhabitants away with him as prisoners; and he
greatly feared that Chapeau would not be able to return in time to
prevent the conflagration. He anxiously watched the first break of day,
and listened intently, but for a long time in vain, for the noise of
coming feet. About half-past two, a soldier came and whispered to the
sergeant, who then woke Santerre, and whispered to him, but the General
was sleepy, and did not wish his dreams should be disturbed. He muttered
something to the sergeant, who again left him, and resumed the seat in
which he had sat since he first entered the room. Denot had risen two
or three times during the night, and paced rapidly and uneasily about.


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