Stumbling on hands and knees they spoke not a word;
though once Max Graub uttered something like an oath in rough German;
but a whisper from Leroy rebuked and silenced him, and they pursued
their difficult ascent until, arriving at the room mentioned, they
found themselves in the company of about fifteen to twenty men, all
sitting round a table under two flaring billiard lamps, suspended
crookedly from the ceiling. As Thord entered, these men all rose, and
gave him an expressive sign of greeting with the left hand, the same
kind of gesture which had passed between him and Zegota on the
Cathedral steps in the morning. Zegota himself was one of their number.
There was also another personage in the room who did not rise, and who
gave no sign whatever. This was a woman, who sat in the embrasure of a
closed and shuttered window with her back to the whole company. It was
impossible to say whether she was young or old, plain or handsome, for
she was enveloped in a long black cloak which draped her from shoulder
to heel. All that could be distinguished of her was the white nape of
her neck, and a great twist of dead gold hair. Her presence awakened
the liveliest interest in Pasquin Leroy, who found it impossible to
avoid nudging his companions, and whispering--
"A woman! By Heaven, this drama becomes interesting!"
But Axel Regor and Max Graub were seemingly not disposed to levity, and
they offered no response to their lighter minded comrade beyond vague
hasty side-looks of alarm, which appeared to amuse him to an extent
that threatened to go beyond the limits of caution.
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