Part 13 (2/2)
Danville hurried to it, and looked out eagerly. ”I have not hastened my return without reason. I wouldn't have missed this arrest for anything!”
thought he, peering into the night.
The stars were out, but there was no moon. He could not recognize either the coach or the persons who got out of it, and he turned again into the interior of the room. His wife had sunk into a chair, her brother was locking up in a cabinet the book which he had promised to take care of for her. The dead silence made the noise of slowly ascending footsteps on the stairs painfully audible. At last the door opened softly.
”Citizen Danville, health and fraternity!” said Lomaque, appearing in the doorway, followed by his agents. ”Citizen Louis Trudaine?” he continued, beginning with the usual form.
Rose started out of her chair; but her brother's hand was on her lips before she could speak.
”My name is Louis Trudaine,” he answered.
”Charles!” cried his sister, breaking from him and appealing to her husband, ”who are these men? What are they here for?”
He gave her no answer.
”Louis Trudaine,” said Lomaque, slowly, drawing the order from his pocket, ”in the name of the Republic, I arrest you.”
”Rose, come back,” cried Trudaine.
It was too late; she had broken from him, and in the recklessness of terror, had seized her husband by the arm.
”Save him!” she cried. ”Save him, by all you hold dearest in the world!
You are that man's superior, Charles--order him from the room!”
Danville roughly shook her hand off his arm.
”Lomaque is doing his duty. Yes,” he added, with a glance of malicious triumph at Trudaine, ”yes, doing his duty. Look at me as you please--your looks won't move me. I denounced you! I admit it--I glory in it! I have rid myself of an enemy, and the State of a bad citizen.
Remember your secret visits to the house in the Rue de Clery!”
His wife uttered a cry of horror. She seized his arm again with both hands--frail, trembling hands--that seemed suddenly nerved with all the strength of a man's.
”Come here--come here! I must and will speak to you!”
She dragged him by main force a few paces back, toward an unoccupied corner of the room. With deathly cheeks and wild eyes she raised herself on tiptoe, and put her lips to her husband's ear. At that instant Trudaine called to her:
”Rose, if you speak I am lost!”
She stopped at the sound of his voice, dropped her hold on her husband's arm, and faced her brother, shuddering.
”Rose,” he continued, ”you have promised, and your promise is sacred.
If you prize your honor, if you love me, come here--come here, and be silent.”
He held out his hand. She ran to him; and, laying her head on his bosom, burst into a pa.s.sion of tears.
Danville turned uneasily toward the police agents. ”Remove your prisoner,” he said. ”You have done your duty here.”
”Only half of it,” retorted Lomaque, eying him attentively. ”Rose Danville--”
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