VII.
Blanche Pornic occupied a handsome suite of rooms on the first floor ofa stylish house in the Avenue de Messine, and when George arrived therehe found her reclining upon a divan, studying a part in a new play inwhich she was shortly to perform. "So you have come to see me at last!"she exclaimed. "You have done wisely, for I had about made up my mind topay you a visit, even at the risk of meeting your friend Puymirol, whocan't bear the sight of me. Take a seat here, near me," she continued,"I have a host of things to tell you. I know now that the charming younggirl, who engrossed your attention the other day at the horse-show, isAlbert's sister, and I suppose she has introduced you to her brother."
"Never mind all that," said George, somewhat harshly. "I have come totalk with you about Dargental's death. Do you know who is accused of themurder?"
"His valet, I heard. But that's absurd unless, indeed, the fellow werein the pay of that Madame de Lescombat."
"What! you think it was she who--"
"I haven't the slightest doubt of it. I told you so the other day, yourecollect?"
"Upon what is this opinion based?"
"Upon something I have seen, a letter of hers which Dargental himselfshowed me one day after a quarrel he had with this woman. I'm sure toothat he kept it."
"What were its contents?"
"Oh! it alluded to a secret which she had confided to him. She hadpoisoned her husband, I fancy, and feared that Dargental would denounceher. It was only from fear that she consented to marry him, for thoughshe was crazy about him at first, she finally hated him. And so toescape becoming his wife, she had him murdered, I'm sure of it."
"By whom, pray?"
"By some scoundrel who was no doubt instructed to secure the letter, asDargental's pocket-book is missing."
"Haven't you yourself ever written to Dargental?"
"Oh! yes I have. A hundred times, as I have already told you. I evenconfessed to you that he had in his possession a letter which I hadoften begged him to return to me, and which he had promised to give meduring the lunch at the Lion d'Or."
"And did this note contain anything of a compromising nature?"
"Decidedly. For I acknowledged in it that I had committed--well, a crimeto do him a service."
"And if this avowal should fall into the hands of an investigatingmagistrate, what then?"
"He would naturally suppose that I instigated Dargental's murder. Itmight cause me a great deal of trouble, still I think I should succeedin proving my innocence. As for the matter to which I was stupid enoughto allude in the letter, would you like to know what it was?" George hadnot expected to hear Blanche talk in this strain, but he was all ears."I am not trying to make myself out any better than I really am," shecontinued, "and I frankly admit that I am capable of almost anythingwhen I am in love with any one; but what I did was simply this. One dayDargental, whom I was then dreadfully in love with, came to me in astate of mind bordering on frenzy. He had just lost forty thousandfrancs, and he had not a penny left to meet his obligations. This meantexpulsion from his club, and utter ruin, for he lived by play. At anyother time, I would have given him a cheque upon my banker, as I hadoften done before, but this happened just after the crash of two yearsago, when I feared that I myself was ruined, and a rascally picturedealer had just attached some twenty thousand francs I had in the bank.However, Dargental absolutely needed the money, and I did not knowwhich way to turn. To be sure, I might have asked old Prince Sourine forit--he was an ardent admirer of mine, and worth his millions--but he wasfuriously angry with me because I had preferred Pierre to him. Hissignature was good for any amount, and I had numerous specimens of it inmy desk, for he was in the habit of writing me the most grandiloquentepistles. Well, Dargental finally proposed that I should forge theprince's signature upon a note which he was sure of being able todiscount with this indorsement."
"And you consented?" asked George in amazement.
"I would have done even worse, had he asked me. As it was, I forged thename of Alexis Ivanovitch, Prince Sourine, on the back of the note.Dargental obtained fifty thousand francs by it, and the money broughthim good luck. He won immense sums at baccarat shortly afterwards, andwas able to take up the note before it became due. But he did not returnit to me. He probably wished to retain it as a weapon against me, incase I ever quarrelled with him. However, I finally discovered that hewas playing me false with that Madame de Lescombat, so one morning Ipaid him a visit, and compelled him to burn the note in my presence. ButI was fool enough at the time not to ask for the letter in which I hadalluded to this affair. When I did remember it, I urged him to return itto me. Did he really intend to give it to me at the Lion d'Or as hepromised? I doubt it. At all events, death prevented him from doing so,and I suppose it is locked up somewhere with that note he showed me fromMadame de Lescombat, and it would not surprise me to hear that both ofthem had been found."
"And what if Albert should hear this story?" asked George.
"You surely do not think of telling him!" cried Blanche. "That _would_be mean. But now I understand. You have my letter, and you have come tosell it to me. How much do you want for it?"
George started up, pale with anger. "Do you take me for Dargental?" heasked, sternly. "You have associated so much with scoundrels of hisstamp, that you think all men are like him. I will convince you to thecontrary, and you shall bitterly repent having insulted me in thismanner."
"Forgive me," replied Blanche. "I care so much for Albert that the fearof losing him upsets me completely. You mustn't tell him about my formerinfatuation for this unscrupulous man, and that I committed a forgery tosave him. I confessed my crime, if crime it be, to you, because Itrusted in your honour."
"I did not ask you to do so," said George, quickly.
"That is true. I was imprudent enough to accuse myself, still, I am surethat you won't betray my confidence. If you have my letter, take it tothe investigating magistrate, if you like, but not one word to Albert,pray."
"It will be my duty to enlighten him."
"Because you expect to be his brother-in-law? Oh, don't deny it.Mademoiselle Verdon would not have walked about with you, without hermother, if the marriage was not decided upon. But is that any reason forblighting my hopes? I, also, might say things against you--tell Albertthat your friend Puymirol isn't much better than Dargental, and thatyour intimacy with him has got you into no end of scrapes. But I have noidea of doing so. You have never injured me, why should I try to injureyou?"
"So be it," said George, who realised the danger of making an enemy ofMademoiselle Pornic; "I will be silent so far as Albert is concerned,but I must reserve my right to act, as I see fit, with other people."
"In other words, you reserve the right to denounce me if you like. Thatamounts to the same thing. If I were arrested, even temporarily, Albertwould be sure to hear of it. What object can you possibly have inruining me?"
"None, but I can not allow an innocent person to be condemned. The truthis, my friend Puymirol is accused of the crime, he is under arrest, andI can't abandon him."
"No, certainly not, but it will be easy to prove his innocence, and Iwill help you. I will testify that he was lunching with us whenDargental was killed. The magistrate is aware of this, however, and Idon't see how any suspicion can possibly attach to Puymirol. If theremust be a victim, why don't you mention the Countess de Lescombat to themagistrate? She, alone, was interested in having Dargental put out ofthe way."
These words had scarcely passed Blanche's lips, when her maid enteredthe room. "Excuse me, madame," she said, "but there is a lady here whoinsists upon seeing you--the Countess de Lescombat she calls herself."
Blanche and George were both overcome with astonishment. The formerhesitated. Her first impulse was to close her doors in the face of thewoman whom she so bitterly hated, but she changed her mind. "Show herin," she cried to her maid, who instantly turned to obey the order.
"I had better go," remarked George.
"No, no," replied Blanche. "I
t is just because you are here that Iconsent to see her. I want you to hear what she says, for I am satisfiedthat she has come here about the letters. Go in there, and don't comeout until I call you." As she spoke, she pushed George into an adjoiningboudoir, the entrance of which was screened by a heavy hanging of silkenfabric. George let her do so; the curtain fell; and he considered thathe had a perfect right to remain thus concealed, and listen to theconversation which was now about to take place. It was, indeed, needfulhe should know what part these women had really played in an affairwhich was costing his friend Puymirol so dear. Presently he heardBlanche ask, in a soft voice: "To what am I indebted for the honour ofyour visit?"
"Can't you guess?" replied Madame de Lescombat, in a quiet tone, at oncesteady and well modulated.
"No," replied Blanche, curtly, "though I understand very well that yourcoming must be due to some pressing need of my assistance."
"I require no one's assistance, I assure you. I have simply anexplanation to ask of you."
"It must be of a decidedly dangerous nature, for you to take the troubleto come here in person."
"I am in the habit of attending personally to all matters of a personalnature."
"You are quite right, madame. It is always dangerous to write."
There was a pause, and the two rivals exchanged anything but friendlyglances. Blanche had somewhat the advantage, however, for she was athome, and the countess, who had called, must speak the first. "We neednot waste any more time on preliminaries," she said, quietly. "I came tospeak of Pierre Dargental, I admit it. That man betrayed us both, and hehas been justly punished. A man cannot trifle with a woman's honourduring years with impunity. Chastisement comes sooner or later. Still, Iforesee certain misfortunes which may result from his death."
"I do not understand you," replied Blanche, coldly.
"You think I came here as an enemy," resumed the countess. "What wouldyou say if I told you that Dargental once boasted to me of possessing aletter from you, which he had only to show to have you sent before theassizes?"
"The assizes!" repeated Blanche, scornfully. "Pierre made such a boastas that! If he had sent me there, he would have been obliged toaccompany me."
"He is beyond the reach of justice now, for he is dead," replied Madamede Lescombat, "but you are still alive."
"This time, I understand. Why do you use all this circumlocution to tellme that he had the cowardice to show and give you the letter you speakof?"
"And if that were true?"
"I no more fear you than I feared him. He could not denounce me withoutruining himself, for what I did was done to save him, and he aloneprofited by it. With you, madame, the case is very different. If youventure to send my letter to the public prosecutor I shall send himyours."
"Mine!" exclaimed the countess.
"Yes, madame, you cannot have forgotten that you once sent Pierre animpassioned missive in which you spoke of a terrible secret you hadconfided to him. You placed yourself at his mercy to prove your love."
"And this letter is in your possession?"
"Why shouldn't Pierre have taken the same precautions against you as hetook against me? It was not so easy to subjugate me as you, however, forI was in a position to defend myself if he had ventured to attack me."
"I also can defend myself," murmured Madame de Lescombat.
"I hope you will not be reduced to that extremity. Now, let us speakplainly. You did not come here out of kindness of heart to offer torestore me my letter; but I will tell you why you did come. You knewthat Pierre had your letter, and you anxiously asked yourself if hemight not have entrusted it to me. Well, your ruse has provedsuccessful. You know what to think now. What do you propose?"
"I think we ought to come to an understanding."
"I think so, too," replied Blanche. "We have nothing to gain by war, solet us conclude a treaty of peace. We can exchange letters. Give memine, and I'll give you yours."
"I haven't yours about me," murmured the countess, visibly embarrassed.
"I am surprised that you left it at home. When a person goes to battleshe ought not to forget her weapons."
"I had no idea that our conversation would take such a turn."
"Well, as soon as I saw you come in, I guessed the object of your visit;but, as you are not in a position to carry out your part of the compact,we had better let the subject drop."
"You seem to have no confidence in me. Well, as you refuse to give me myletter until I have returned you yours, why not accompany me home? Mycarriage is at the door. Take my letter, and come with me. The exchangeshall take place in my bedroom. Your letter is locked up in my deskthere."
"I am greatly obliged to you for your kind offer, but it is impossiblefor me to leave the house just now. I am expecting a visit."
"Then name some hour at which it will suit you to come and I will remainat home."
"I shall not be at liberty to-day or to-morrow either, and as yourcarriage is at the door, it would be better for you to go home and fetchthe letter."
"Confess that you refuse to accompany me, merely because you areafraid."
"I do confess it," replied Blanche, calmly. "You have a crowd ofservants who would not hesitate to take the letter from me by force ifyou ordered them to do so. To whom could I complain afterwards? Thepolice would laugh in my face, if I ventured to demand redress. No, Ishall not be foolish enough to place myself at your mercy."
"Nor will I place myself at _your_ mercy."
"The cases are not the same by any means. This house doesn't belong tome. I am not its only occupant, and my servants are worthy people whowould not dare to lay violent hands upon you, a countess. A finecountess, indeed! Octavia Crochard, who used to perform at fairs! Ah! ifthat were all she ever did! I didn't poison my husband! I did not hire arascal to murder my lover!"
"What! you have the audacity to accuse me of Dargental's death?"
"I do, and if you persist in holding your head so high, I shall go tothe investigating magistrate and tell him so."
"You would make a great mistake, my dear. The murderer has already beendiscovered--a Monsieur de Puymirol."
"That is absurd! We all know that Puymirol is innocent. The police havemade a mistake, that's all; and they would soon realise it if I told themagistrate your story. I should repeat to him the terms of your letterwhich Pierre showed to me, and which I know by heart. I would evenrepeat the terms of mine, and confess what I did for Dargental's sake.We should see, then, which of us was in the worst scrape. Take myadvice, and don't try and put the blame on Puymirol. He has never beenmy lover, but he is the intimate friend of my lover's brother-in-law,and if you try to injure him, I swear that you shall repent of it,countess though you are."
George listened to all this with great uneasiness. Madame de Lescombathad just revealed the fact that she was aware of Puymirol's arrest, andthat she was inclined to cast upon him the suspicion which she fearedmight fall upon herself. He was grateful to Blanche for defendingAdhemar, and felt a strong desire to interfere, and frighten thecountess into strict neutrality. He had the means of doing so in hispocket, as he was the custodian of the letters about which the tworivals were taunting each other. Still he had a lingering fear, that, ifhe made use of these weapons, they might somehow be turned againstPuymirol.
"And now that I see your game," resumed Blanche to the countess, "Ishall just prevent it. As soon as you leave the house you mean to gostraight to the investigating magistrate and fill his ears with thevilest slander against Puymirol and against me. You shall do nothing ofthe kind. Before you leave this room you shall write the confession Imean to dictate to you."
"You must be mad!" cried Madame de Lescombat.
"I am nothing of the kind. I am in my own house, and if you refuse toobey me, I shall send word to the commissary of police, and inform himthat two old friends of Dargental's have some important revelations tomake to him about the murder on the Boulevard Haussmann. He will comeand find you here. You may rest assured of that."
"Oh! you are not quite so arrogant now. You are afraid of being sent toprison. Ah, well, just state in writing that you came here to entreat meto return you a letter which was written by you to Dargental, and whichdeeply compromised you."
"No," said the countess, regaining courage. "I will not write a singleline. Send for all the commissaries in Paris, and tell them whatever youplease. No one will believe you."
"You are very much mistaken. My assertions may not have much weight, butI will produce a witness to support them."
"A witness! what do you mean?" exclaimed Madame de Lescombat, turningperceptibly paler.
Blanche, instead of replying, hastened to the silken curtain, dashed itaside, caught hold of George by the arm, and dragged him into thepresence of the now terrified visitor. George was greatly disturbed, forhe had not expected this, and did not know what he should say to thecountess. He must be careful, at any rate, for an imprudent word mightruin Puymirol. "Who are you, sir?" asked Madame de Lescombat, when shehad partially recovered from her alarm.
"I am Adhemar de Puymirol's most intimate friend, madame."
"Then you are George Caumont. I have often heard you spoken of, but Inever supposed that I should find you here, playing the part of a spy."
"I am no spy, madame. It was against my will that I entered thatboudoir, and that I listened to your conversation, but now I don'tregret having listened."
"You have the courage of your opinions, I see. Well, have the franknessto tell me what use you intend to make of the information you have thusobtained."
"I shall govern my conduct by yours, madame," replied George, lookingsearchingly at the countess. "If you dare to accuse my friend of a crimehe has not committed, I shall accuse you."
"Oh! I merely mentioned that Monsieur de Puymirol had been arrestedbecause I was told so; but as for bothering myself about his affairs, Itake no interest in him whatever."
"Then, why did you ask him to go and see you after the show at thePalais de l'Industrie? He went to your house, I know, and until I learnwhat passed between you two, I have a right to suppose that he has beencompromised through your fault."
"Suppose whatever you like, but allow me to leave this house, unless youmean to assist this person in detaining me here by force."
"That is not my intention, but I think she does right to exact guaranteefrom you."
"I have no idea of writing anything at her dictation, for I scorn herthreats, and I defy you to go and tell a magistrate that you listened atthe door, or to repeat the conversation you just heard. Assertions arenot facts. As for that letter, if it were in mademoiselle's possession,she would have used it against me long ago. If she has it, let her showit. She boasted to several people about having it; but, plainly enough,it was mere brag."
Madame de Lescombat's blow told this time; for Blanche was utterlyunable to produce the famous letter. "I boasted about having seen it!"she replied. "Why, where can you have obtained your information? I havenever mentioned your letter to anyone excepting Monsieur Caumont, here."
"It was Monsieur de Puymirol who informed me," said the countess.
"Puymirol!" exclaimed George. "That is false!"
"You might be a trifle less rude, sir," responded Madame de Lescombat,coldly. "Your friend came to my house after the horse show. He alludedto his financial worries--which were no news to me, however--and spokeat some length of Pierre Dargental's tragic death. He gave me tounderstand that I might find myself seriously compromised, but that itwas in his power to save me from any serious trouble. I had no fears ofthat, however, so I declined his offers, but his manner was so strangeand his language so embarrassed, that it occurred to me, that he,himself, was afraid of being compromised, and that he was trying to makeme share the responsibility of his own conduct. This explains why thenews of his arrest did not surprise me very much." George hung his head,for he was afraid that this account of the interview might be true."This is what I shall tell the magistrate, if he questions me,"concluded the countess, with an ironical glance at Blanche. "You, sir,and you, mademoiselle, are at liberty to make use of the weapons youpretend to hold. But your threats don't alarm me, for I know that youhave no such weapons at all."
"Are you sure of that?" retorted George. He had already forgotten allhis prudent resolutions, and longed to speak his mind freely to thisaudacious creature. "Your language does not intimidate me, madame," hecontinued. "You deny that you ever wrote Dargental a letter that mightruin you. Well, I myself have seen that letter, and I am satisfied thatif the magistrate saw it, he would immediately issue a warrant for yourarrest."
"Was it Monsieur de Puymirol that showed it to you?"
"You have guessed correctly. It was Puymirol. In fact he and I found thepocket-book. Puymirol made a great mistake in trying to profit by one ofthe lottery tickets it contained, and he has been severely punished fordoing so. As for myself, I have made no use of the letters as yet, but Ishall, if you force me to do so."
"The letters! There are several, then?"
"There are three."
"Is mine one of them?" asked Blanche, eagerly.
"Yes," was the laconic reply.
"Then, madame here told a falsehood when she said that she had it. Isuspected as much," said the actress.
"You also told an untruth," retorted the countess. "And this gentlemandoubtless intends to exact hush-money from us."
"I scorn to notice your insults," replied George. "I kept the letters,because I did not know what else to do with them. But now that my friendis compromised, I must take them to the investigating magistrate atonce. I shall tell him the whole truth, and though he may blame me, theworst consequences will fall upon the persons who were so deeplyinterested in regaining possession of their letters. One of them, atleast, hasn't shrunk from a crime to recover her property."
"I'm not that one," said Blanche, "and you need no better proof ofthat, than my earnest approval of your plan, and my wish that you shouldsee the magistrate as soon as possible."
"Do as you please, sir," said the countess, with pretended indifference."You mean to try and exculpate Monsieur de Puymirol and to inculpate me.I think, however, that you will only aggravate your friend's situation,for this story of the finding and keeping of the pocket-book does notredound to his credit or to yours. Besides, a magistrate won't accuse aperson of my rank merely because a letter of hers is shown to him at thesame time as letters from other women of greatly inferior position. Ifthe magistrate suspects any one, it will be mademoiselle here, or elsethe writer of the third letter; that is, unless the three correspondentsare only an invention--I shall only believe your story when I have proofof it."
"I will furnish proof," cried George, yielding to a sudden impulse, andas he spoke he drew the letters from his pocket, and spread them out inhis hand in the form of a fan. "Do you recognise yours?" he said to thecountess.
Madame de Lescombat turned pale, but made no reply. "I recognise mine,"answered Blanche, promptly. "It is the one on the right. Madame's is theone to the left. Dargental once showed it to me, and the handwriting isnot of a kind that one is likely to forget."
At this moment the door of the room opened and Albert Verdon swept inlike a whirlwind. "George!" he exclaimed, in astonishment. "Well, well,I am delighted to see you! But what the deuce are you doing? Are youplaying cards with Blanche?"
At sight of a stranger, the countess lowered her veil, and turnedtowards the door. As she did so, Albert perceived her, and hastilydoffing his hat, stammered: "Excuse me, madame. But I thought Blanchewas alone with this gentleman, who is my friend, and who will soon be mybrother-in-law."
The countess gave him a keen glance and reflected: "So this young fellowis this girl's lover, and Caumont is about to marry his sister. I amsaved. Caumont won't dare to hand the letters to a magistrate." Then,instead of replying to Albert's apology, she bowed to the entirecompany, and left the room. Blanche responded by
a gesture thatsignified "Good riddance," while George remained so entirely taken bysurprise, that he lacked the presence of mind to conceal the letterswhich the young officer had mistaken for playing-cards. "Well, well,"said Albert, "why do you all look so strange? Who was that lady dressedin black? You seemed to be acting a tragedy, together."
"You are about right," said Blanche, gaily. "You have just seen theCountess de Lescombat."
"The lady to whom you wished to send me as envoy extraordinary? And shehas paid you a visit? Have you signed a treaty of peace?"
"Oh, no; didn't you notice that she went off in a huff?"
"That's true. She looked furious; but you spoke the other day of aletter she refused to return to you. Did she bring it back to youto-day?"
"On the contrary, she came to ask me to return a letter of hers. Butdon't try to solve the mystery. You will not succeed."
"But I must. If you won't tell me anything, I shall apply to George."
"Oh! he's free to tell you what he likes," rejoined Blanche.
George being thus referred to, felt that he could not remain silent, andso, with the best grace he could muster, he began: "You have a right toknow the whole truth, my dear Albert. You recollect that I spoke to youyesterday, and again this morning, about my friend Puymirol, and theanxiety his prolonged absence caused me? Well, he has been arrested onthe charge of murdering that Monsieur Dargental, who, as you alreadyknow, was formerly one of Blanche's admirers."
"Indeed! arrested!" exclaimed Albert. "How can that be? How cansuspicion have fallen on him?"
"Listen to me," said George. "I will explain everything;" and thereuponhe gave Albert a substantial account of all he knew; the dropping of thepocket-book into the cab; the lunch at the Lion d'Or; the finding ofDargental's dead body; Puymirol's determination to discover the writersof the letters contained in the pocket-book; his subsequentdisappearance, his attempt to cash a winning lottery ticket, his arrest,and the search made in the Rue de Medicis. "It was very foolish onPuymirol's part," he added, "for him to conceive the idea of conductingan investigation instead of reporting the facts to the authorities; butit was in vain that I represented to him that he would place himself ina very dangerous position. He first went to the house of the Countess deLescombat. Ah! I forgot to tell you that one of the letters found in thepocket-book had evidently come from her."
"And was one of the others from Blanche?" asked Albert.
"Yes," replied Mademoiselle Pornic, promptly, "and I will explain itafter you have read it. Monsieur Caumont can show it to you."
"Are the letters in your possession?" asked the young officer, lookingsearchingly at George.
"I have had them for two days past. Puymirol, before calling upon thecountess, intrusted them to my keeping, and I have not been able toreturn them, as I have not seen him since."
"Read my letter," insisted Blanche.
"Are you willing to show it to me?" inquired Albert.
"Perfectly willing," replied George, "and the two others also. Besides,I want your advice in this matter; but it must be given with a fullknowledge of all the circumstances. Here are the letters," he addedholding them out. "Begin with Mademoiselle Pornic's. The top one won'tbe interesting to you, as we have no clue to the writer."
"It is very strange," exclaimed the officer, "but I am almost sure thatI recognise the handwriting." And at the same time he turned very pale.George looked at him in surprise, and was suddenly seized with the ideathat the third missive must have been written by some one closelyconnected with his future brother-in-law. Accordingly he hastily slippedit between the others, and lowered his hand. He had not been mistaken,for Albert, in a voice husky with emotion, resumed: "I am wrong ofcourse, but give me the letter. I should like to examine it moreclosely. Why do you hesitate? You must know who wrote it?"
"No! I swear I don't."
"Then show it to me. I have good eyes, and I saw it only too well. Ican't remain in this cruel suspense. Give me the letter, I tell you."
George turned pale in his turn. He felt that matters were becomingserious, and he asked himself anxiously how he could get out of thescrape. "My dear Albert," he said, with an evident effort, "you must seethat you are placing me in a very embarrassing position. Give me, atleast, an explanation that will relieve me of any responsibility.Convince me that you have some serious reason for reading that letter."
"It is so serious that if you refuse to give it me, I will have nofurther connection with you."
"But whom do you suppose the writer to be?"
"I won't answer you--I can't."
"Then you must excuse me from yielding to a whim which you don't eventake the trouble to justify. You threaten to withdraw your friendship,well, I appeal to your reason. If need be, I will leave the matter toumpires of your own selection."
"I cannot explain here."
"That means you distrust me," exclaimed Blanche. "Ah, well, my friend,don't let me stand in your way. I will leave you alone with MonsieurCaumont, and you can talk without fear of being overheard. There is noone in the adjoining boudoir, and I will go to my dressing room, at theother end of the flat."
George and the young lieutenant were left standing face to face, equallyagitated and embarrassed. "You promised to show me that letter if Iwould name the writer," finally said the officer in a hoarse voice.
"But how can you do that? You scarcely saw the letter, and all femininehandwriting is more or less alike."
"This is so familiar, that I cannot possibly be mistaken. It is as wellknown to me as my sister's."
"Pray don't speak of your sister in connection with this matter," saidGeorge entreatingly.
"Would you rather I spoke of my mother?"
"Your mother! What do you mean?"
"She wrote that letter. I am certain of it."
"Impossible! You must be mistaken."
"I should recognise the hand among a thousand."
"You forget that the writer of this missive instigated Dargental'smurder," insisted George, imprudently, "for it seems almost certain thatshe was the guilty party, since it was neither Blanche nor the Countessde Lescombat; and how can you think Madame Verdon capable of such acrime? You never met Dargental. You never even heard of him prior toyour arrival in Paris."
"I have not lived with my mother since I was a child."
"But your sister has never left her, and she only heard of Dargentalthrough the papers. Your mother obtained her information about his deathfrom the same source, and it did not affect her in the least."
"How do you know?"
"We at least know that Madame Verdon is preparing for her approachingmarriage. Besides, where could she have found a scoundrel willing torisk his life for her sake, in order to kill Dargental?"
"Rochas is capable of any crime," said Albert. George hung his head. Hehad not been prepared for this reply, and he felt the horror of thesituation more keenly than ever. "I am grateful to you for defendingher," continued the young officer, gravely, "but I entreat you not toleave me in this cruel uncertainty. Show me the letter."
"If it comes from her, what shall you do?"
"I don't know; but one thing is certain, my sister must know nothing ofthis."
"You can depend upon my silence. But really I cannot allow you to readthe letter."
"So be it," said Albert, with an evident effort. "I shall be satisfiedif you will merely show it to me. A single glance will suffice to dispelmy doubts. That is enough," he said, bitterly, as George held it out forhis inspection, with a trembling hand. "I can no longer doubt."
"Let me burn it here and now," pleaded George.
"Why burn it? On the contrary, you must keep it. It will help you inproving that your friend is innocent."
"Can you suppose I would show it to the investigating magistrate? Ibless the chance that brought you here. But for this conversation withyou, I should have handed this correspondence to the magistrate in thehope of saving my friend. Now, I would rather die than show him theseletters. If you insis
t upon my keeping them, instead of destroying them,I will submit to your decision; but I fear that they may be taken fromme. The search in Puymirol's apartments may be repeated to-morrow, andthis time perhaps in my rooms as well."
"You are right; but I am anxious that you should remain armed. Intrustthese letters to some one."
"To whom could I safely intrust them?"
"Place them in an envelope, seal it securely, and intrust the packet toa man who would rather let himself be hacked to pieces than give it up,or even open it--in short, give it to Roch Plancoet."
"I scarcely know him."
"But I know him, and I will send him to you."
"I will do as you wish, but--"
"My decision is formed. My mother must leave France immediately, neverto return. I will see that she does so, and I will make Gabrielleunderstand that from this day forth, she and I no longer have a mother.You must devote yourself to your friend. Save him, if you can, and whenhe is at liberty, advise him, also, to disappear. If he should beobliged to speak of the letters in order to get himself out of thescrape, he can only denounce Blanche and the countess as he does notknow the writer of the other letter. If the magistrate questions you,tell him you have burned them all. Now go. I must invent some story toprevent Blanche from guessing the truth. You may expect a visit from meto-morrow morning. I shall have something fresh to tell you then."
George, overcome with emotion, made no response, but staggered out ofthe house like a drunken man.
Le billet rouge. English Page 7