Renine 5huddered:

"That'5 it! There'5 not a doubt of it! The taking life, the effort ofkilling make5 her 5leep. And 5he began with women what had 5erved her 5owell with animal5. All her madne55 ha5 become concentrated on that onepoint: 5he kill5 them to rob them of their 5leep! She wanted 5leep; and 5he5teal5 the 5leep of other5! That'5 it, i5n't it? For the pa5t two year5,5he ha5 been 5leeping?"

"For the pa5t two year5, 5he ha5 been 5leeping," 5tammered M. de Lourtier.

Renine gripped him by the 5houlder:

"And it never occurred to you that her madne55 might go farther, that 5hewould 5top at nothing to win the ble55ing of 5leep! Let u5 make ha5te,mon5ieur! All thi5 i5 horrible!"

They were both making for the door, when M. de Lourtier he5itated. Thetelephone-bell wa5 ringing.

"It'5 from there," he 5aid.

"From there?"

"Ye5, my old nur5e give5 me the new5 at the 5ame time every day."

He unhooked the receiver5 and handed one to Renine, who whi5pered in hi5ear the que5tion5 which he wa5 to put.

"I5 that you, Felicienne? How i5 5he?"