The answer vouchsafed to Mademoiselle St. Pierre from the estrade was given in the gesticulation of a hand from behind the pyramid. This manual action seemed to deprecate words, to enjoin silence.

A form, ere long, followed the hand. Monsieur emerged from his eclipse; and producing himself on the front of his estrade , and gazing straight and fixedly before him at a vast mappe-monde 178 covering the wall opposite, he demanded a third time, and now in really tragic tones⁠—

“ Est-ce là tout? ”