Part 70 (2/2)
Vandory moved his chair close to the bed, and the Jew detailed to him the circ.u.mstances of the robbery of the doc.u.ments, and the share which the Lady Rety and the attorney had in the perpetration of that crime.
”But who killed the attorney?” asked Vandory. ”You ought to know. The place where you were found allowed you to hear all that happened in the room.”
”I heard it all. It was Viola who did the deed. He spoke to the attorney, and I know his voice.”
”Wretched man! Why did you not state this in your examination?” sighed Vandory. ”You know that another man, an innocent man, is accused of the crime, and you know that your confession alone can save his honour and his life!”
”You ask me why I did not state it?” replied Jants.h.i.+, staring at the curate. ”The lady, who is as great a lawyer as any in the county, told me that the suspicion would lie with me if I were to speak in Tengelyi's favour.”
”But what business had you in the place where they found you?”
The Jew shook his head.
”I implore you,” said Vandory. ”I entreat you----”
”Why shouldn't I say it!” cried Jants.h.i.+. ”I've sworn to keep the secret; but this woman has abandoned me in my distress, why then should I spare her? Listen! I will tell you. The day before the murder, the Lady Rety and the attorney had a quarrel. He refused to give her the papers which he had taken from Viola. The lady sent for me, and promised me two thousand florins, if I would----”
The curate clasped his hands in astonishment and horror.
”If Viola had not antic.i.p.ated me,” whispered the Jew, ”I would have killed the attorney!”
He fell back upon his pillow. Vandory sat silent and lost in thought.
Jants.h.i.+'s tale had filled him with horror, but with hope too, for it held out a chance for Tengelyi. Rising from his seat, he said,
”My friend, thank G.o.d that He has given you strength and time to repent and atone for your sins. What you have told me suffices to clear the notary from suspicion; but to make your testimony effectual, you must repeat it in the presence of two witnesses.”
”Am I to repeat what I shudder to think of?” said the Jew, mournfully.
”It is your duty. How can you expect G.o.d to show you mercy, if you refuse to atone for your sin?”
”I will do it!” said Jants.h.i.+, after a pause. ”The notary is your friend.
I will do it for your sake!”
”If you are too weak,” said Vandory, deeply moved by these words and the way in which they were uttered; ”if you are weak now, you had better take rest. In a few hours----”
”No! sir, no! Now or never! In a few hours I shall have ceased to speak.
Come back at once, reverend sir! Tell anybody to come. I'll tell them all, for I am a dying man. I care not for the sheriff's displeasure. He cannot harm me now!”
”You need not say any thing to excite Lady Rety's displeasure,” said Vandory. ”Your transactions were chiefly with the attorney, you need not tell them any thing about your intentions----”
”But I _will_ tell them!” cried the Jew, with a savage exultation. ”I will have my revenge. That woman was my evil genius! She led me on to crime, and abandoned me in my distress!”
”And is this the moment to think of revenge?” said the curate.
The Jew was silent. At length he replied, ”Let it be done as you wish it. I will do anything to please you. But,” added he, ”go at once. My time is very short, sir.”
Vandory called the nurse, and hastened away.
CHAP. VIII.
<script>