Part 50 (2/2)
”What I mean is clear enough,” retorted he, still squeezing her hand.
”Viola has accused your ladys.h.i.+p of theft, and of being a partner to a robbery. No matter! Viola is a robber: no man in his senses will believe a word he says. But suppose another witness were to come into court, say, for instance, _I_ were to appear against your ladys.h.i.+p, say I were to give evidence fully corroborating the robber's statements; and suppose, in confirmation of my evidence, I were to produce the papers we stole, the contents of which would prove, beyond the possibility of a doubt, that you, and only you, could have an interest in their abstraction,--what then? My humble opinion is, the affair would make some stir in the county.”
”Nonsense!” said Lady Rety. ”I do not fear your threats; knowing, as I do, that you cannot ruin me without ruining yourself.”
”Don't be too sure of that! We are not exactly in the same position. I'm not interested in the papers; but your ladys.h.i.+p is. I am a poor lawyer; and suppose I were to come into court, declaring that I devoted my life to the service of your house, that my zeal got the better of my duty, and that I a.s.sisted your ladys.h.i.+p in the theft; but that, repentant and conscience-stricken, I come to accuse myself, and to give the stolen property up to the court,--is there not a deal of pathos in such an account? Can it fail to touch the hearts of the judges?”
”Demon!” gasped Lady Rety, as she flung herself on the sofa, and covered her face with her hands.
The attorney proceeded:--
”The business will give me a good reputation, and some profit, too.
Akosh would do any thing to get Tengelyi's papers. Perhaps he is open to a negotiation; and Vandory, too, (he delights in repentant sinners,) will take my part. But as for your ladys.h.i.+p----”
”Devil! cease to torment me!” screamed the lady, clasping her hands.
”The sheriff's lady in gaol!--it's an ugly thing. The sheriff's influence no doubt would go for something to make the punishment short and mild; they would give you, say, six months, or three months; but still,--you have been in gaol, and,--for thieving in company with a Jew.
Besides, there are the cross-examinations, the evidence----”
”Catspaw!” screamed Lady Rety, with the bound of a wounded panther, ”No!
you cannot do that!”
”I can and I will do it, unless I have the bills on Friday next.”
”You shall have them!”
”Five bills of ten thousand florins each, and signed by the sheriff.”
”Yes.”
”The bills to be payable from six to six months.”
”I know it all. For pity's sake, leave me!” cried she, with a dying voice.
”You shall have the papers the day you give me the bills,” added the attorney, seizing his hat. ”Good night, my lady!” And he left the room.
The noise of his steps had scarcely ceased to sound in the hall, when the door of the hall stove opened, and Peti's curly head appeared in the gap. The gipsy was Mr. Rety's stove-heater; and, in the present instance, he had crept through the chimney to Lady Rety's apartments, where he had listened to her conversation with Mr. Catspaw. He was just about to leave the place, when he met Janosh.
”Dear me! what's the matter?” cried the hussar. ”Your face is all soot and ashes, man!”
”No wonder it is!” said the gipsy, wiping his face with the sleeve of his s.h.i.+rt. ”You know I am always at that dirty work.”
”At it again, man! Make large fires in this house! Give them a taste of h.e.l.l! I am going to join my master. I've packed my things, and I've done with this house, d--n it!”
”Are you, too, going?”
”With a vengeance, my boy!” replied Janosh. ”I've eaten the sheriff's bread, and I never dreamt I should ever leave his house without saying 'G.o.d bless you!' But that's the way they've sent my master about his business. Good night!”
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