38

THE TWO SIGNALS

Let us now relate what happened at the Chateau des Noires-Fontaines three days after the events we have just described took place in Paris.

Since the successive departures of Roland, then Madame de Montrevel and her son, and finally Sir John -- Roland to rejoin his general, Madame de Montrevel to place Edouard in school, and Sir John to acquaint Roland with his matrimonial plans -- Amelie had remained alone with Charlotte at the Chateau des Noires-Fontaines. We say _alone_, because Michel and his son Jacques did not live in the house, but in the little lodge at the gate where he added the duties of porter to those of gardener.