Part 23 (1/2)

”They must not come till this is fixed,” answered Planard. ”Be good enough to take hold of the lower part while I take this end.” I was not left long to conjecture what was coming, for in a few seconds more something slid across, a few inches above my face, and entirely excluded the light, and m.u.f.fled sound, so that nothing that was not very distinct reached my ears henceforward; but very distinctly came the working of a turnscrew, and the crunching home of screws in succession. Than these vulgar sounds, no doom spoken in thunder could have been more tremendous.

The rest I must relate, not as it then reached my ears, which was too imperfectly and interruptedly to supply a connected narrative, but as it was afterwards told me by other people.

The coffin-lid being screwed down, the two gentlemen arranged the room and adjusted the coffin so that it lay perfectly straight along the boards, the Count being specially anxious that there should be no appearance of hurry or disorder in the room, which might have suggested remark and conjecture.

When this was done, Doctor Planard said he would go to the hall to summon the men who were to carry the coffin out and place it in the hea.r.s.e. The Count pulled on his black gloves, and held his white handkerchief in his hand, a very impressive chief-mourner. He stood a little behind the head of the coffin, awaiting the arrival of the persons who accompanied Planard, and whose fast steps he soon heard approaching.

Planard came first. He entered the room through the apartment in which the coffin had been originally placed. His manner was changed; there was something of a swagger in it.

”Monsieur le Comte,” he said, as he strode through the door, followed by half-a-dozen persons, ”I am sorry to have to announce to you a most unseasonable interruption. Here is Monsieur Carmaignac, a gentleman holding an office in the police department, who says that information to the effect that large quant.i.ties of smuggled English and other goods have been distributed in this neighborhood, and that a portion of them is concealed in your house. I have ventured to a.s.sure him, of my own knowledge, that nothing can be more false than that information, and that you would be only too happy to throw open for his inspection, at a moment's notice, every room, closet, and cupboard in your house.”

”Most a.s.suredly,” exclaimed the Count, with a stout voice, but a very white face. ”Thank you, my good friend, for having antic.i.p.ated me. I will place my house and keys at his disposal, for the purpose of his scrutiny, so soon as he is good enough to inform me of what specific contraband goods he comes in search.”

”The Count de St. Alyre will pardon me,” answered Carmaignac, a little dryly. ”I am forbidden by my instructions to make that disclosure; and that I _am_ instructed to make a general search, this warrant will sufficiently apprise Monsieur le Comte.”

”Monsieur Carmaignac, may I hope,” interposed Planard, ”that you will permit the Count de St. Alyre to attend the funeral of his kinsman, who lies here, as you see--” (he pointed to the plate upon the coffin)--”and to convey whom to Pere la Chaise, a hea.r.s.e waits at this moment at the door.”

”That, I regret to say, I cannot permit. My instructions are precise; but the delay, I trust, will be but trifling. Monsieur le Comte will not suppose for a moment that I suspect him; but we have a duty to perform, and I must act as if I did. When I am ordered to search, I search; things are sometimes hid in such bizarre places. I can't say, for instance, what that coffin may contain.”

”The body of my kinsman, Monsieur Pierre de St. Amand,” answered the Count, loftily.

”Oh! then you've seen him?”

”Seen him? Often, too often.” The Count was evidently a good deal moved.

”I mean the body?”

The Count stole a quick glance at Planard.

”N--no, Monsieur--that is, I mean only for a moment.”

Another quick glance at Planard.

”But quite long enough, I fancy, to recognize him?” insinuated that gentleman.

”Of course--of course; instantly--perfectly. What! Pierre de St. Amand?

Not know him at a glance? No, no, poor fellow, I know him too well for that.”

”The things I am in search of,” said Monsieur Carmaignac, ”would fit in a narrow compa.s.s--servants are so ingenious sometimes. Let us raise the lid.”

”Pardon me, Monsieur,” said the Count, peremptorily, advancing to the side of the coffin and extending his arm across it, ”I cannot permit that indignity--that desecration.”

”There shall be none, sir--simply the raising of the lid; you shall remain in the room. If it should prove as we all hope, you shall have the pleasure of one other look, really the last, upon your beloved kinsman.”

”But, sir, I can't.”

”But, Monsieur, I must.”

”But, besides, the thing, the turnscrew, broke when the last screw was turned; and I give you my sacred honor there is nothing but the body in this coffin.”

”Of course, Monsieur le Comte believes all that; but he does not know so well as I the legerdemain in use among servants, who are accustomed to smuggling. Here, Philippe, you must take off the lid of that coffin.”