They went through the Pavilion de Flore and through the Galerie du Louvre
until they reached a small door leading out on to the quay, where the two
coupes were waiting. The Prince had already thought of one or two friends
to whom the Empress could go and remain until they joined her, to help her
to devise some means for leaving Paris. He said that during the long walk
through the gallery the Empress remained calm and self-possessed, though
one could see that she was suffering intensely.
They reached the quay without hindrance and found the carriages. The
Prince opened the door of his and gave his orders to his coachman; but the
Empress suddenly refused, saying that she preferred to go in a cab, and
begged them not to follow her.
There was a cab-stand directly opposite where they stood. They hailed one,
and she and Madame Le Breton were about to get in when a little boy cried
out, "Voilà l'Impératrice!" Count Nigra, quick as thought, turned on the
boy and said in a loud voice, "Comment! tu cries 'Vive la Prusse!" and
boxed his ears, so that attention should be diverted from the Empress.
The Prince gave the names of the streets and the numbers of the houses to
the cabman where he had proposed to the Empress to go, and the ladies
drove away.
"Did you not follow her?" I asked.
"Yes" he answered. "In spite of the Empress's wishes, after allowing
enough time for her to get well on her way, we drove to the two addresses
given, but did not find her at either of them. We could not imagine what
had happened to her."
"What _had_ happened to her?" I asked.
"It was only after hours of the greatest anxiety that we ourselves knew.
About six o'clock I received a note from the Empress saying that she had
gone to the two houses we had named, but that no one was there, and then,
not knowing what to do, had in despair thought of Dr. Evans, the dentist,
and had driven to his house, where she was in safety for the moment."
"What a dreadful moment for the Empress! How did she dare to send the note
to you?"
"It was imprudent," said the Prince; "but she intrusted it to Dr. Crane,
who happened to be dining with Dr. Evans. He brought it to me and gave it
into my own hands."
"Did you go to see her?"
"Yes, I went to see her; but strict orders had been given not to let any
one enter, not even me."
The Prince showed me this letter, which he kept locked up in a desk.
Seeing the tears in my eyes, he said, giving me the envelope, "I know you
will value this, and I beg you will keep it."
[Illustration: FAC-SIMILE OF LETTER: