she kneeled beside her for a moment and whispered , as madame supposed , a little benediction in her ear ; then hastily kissing her she stepped into her carriage , the door was closed , the footmen in stately liveries jumped up behind , the outriders spurred on , the postilions cracked their whips , the horses plunged and broke suddenly into a furious canter that threatened soon again to become a gallop , and the carriage whirled away , followed at the same rapid pace by the two horsemen in the rear .