Faithful to the appointment, about twenty people gathered around nine in the morning on the quayside in front of Esgrigny's chalet. At the same time came the carriage of Desvignes and the only open carriages that had been found among the country's rental companies: two kinds of station-wagons, one of which belonged to the Pinaud family, the local bathers, and the other to an old Breton woman, the widow Lerno, who herself drove her white horse, still vigorous despite her age. When all were gathered, it was a question of sharing the cars: Mrs. Desvignes generously offered hers and wanted to get into the old banger of the Pinaud family; they refused and forced her into her carriage, after having placed two sentries at the doors to prevent her from leaving. Authorized only to choose her guests
