Part 72 (1/2)
”I do not care,” replied he. ”I have no fear of anybody.”
”Do not let them impose upon you,” said she. ”I know they tell you there is no hope for you. They've told you so to make you confess; but I have it from the doctor that you are in no danger whatever. You're weak, that's all. Keep your own counsel, I entreat you! They tell me Mr.
Vandory called upon you; did he?”
The Jew groaned and laughed at the same time. He stretched his trembling arms and seized Lady Rety's hands.
”Ah!” said be, ”that's what you come for? You want to know what I have said of the crimes which we have committed. Set your mind at rest. I've told them all--all--all! Do you understand me? I've told them every circ.u.mstance, from the first day that the attorney hired me to steal the papers, to the night you promised me your cursed money if I would kill the attorney. You said----”
”Silence, miscreant!” cried Lady Rety, striving to disengage her hands from the grasp of the Jew.
”Miscreant! Ay, indeed, miscreant!” retorted the Jew; ”but how will they call _you_ who bribed me to these enormities?”
”Rascal of a Jew! who will believe you?”
”They are sure to believe me. Viola has said what I say, and n.o.body can doubt it!”
”You must revoke all you have said. I'll bring other witnesses to whom you must say that they bribed you to give false testimony.”
”I will not revoke a word of what I have said--not a single word----”
”How dare you, Jew----”
”Don't threaten me! Your promises and threats cannot affect me now. This very night will remove me from your jurisdiction. But you,” added he, with a convulsive effort--”You who seduced me and abandoned me to my despair--you, Lady Rety, will find your judge. I've dreamed of it. I see it now! I see you standing by the side of the executioner. He has a large glittering sword. Tzifra, too, is there, and Catspaw, and a crowd of people. They tie you down upon the chair----”
His voice sunk down to an indistinct murmur, and his hand, which still clasped Lady Rety's fingers, held them with a cold and clammy grasp. She tore it away, and, rus.h.i.+ng past the nurse, she hastened to her apartments.
She rang for her maid.
”Give me a gla.s.s of water!” said she.
Julia, the maid, was astonished and shocked to see her mistress look so pale.
”Are you ill, my lady?” asked she. ”Shall I go for Dr. Letemdy?”
”No! Hold your tongue! Mind your own business!” said Lady Rety. ”Give me a gla.s.s of water, and be off!”
Julia obeyed. Lady Rety locked the door after her.
It is easier to defeat the sympathy of mankind than to baffle their curiosity. Lady's maids in particular are always most eager to mind other people's business when they are told to go about their own. Julia had left the room, but she returned to the door and listened.
What she heard served still more to excite her curiosity. Lady Rety walked up and down. She sat down, arranged her papers and wrote. Again she got up, and tore some papers. Again she paced the room. She opened a drawer. Again she sat down, and Julia overheard a deep, deep sigh. Then again there was a sound as of something being stirred in a gla.s.s.
”She is ill!” thought Julia. ”She's taking her medicine! I ought to call the doctor!”
She listened again, and heard the rattling of the gla.s.s as it was violently put down upon the table. This, it struck her, was a sign that her mistress was fearfully ill-tempered. She thought it more prudent not to go for the doctor. After a short time she heard deep groans. She knocked at the door, but she received no answer. This circ.u.mstance, and the moaning inside, which became more violent every moment, caused her to forget Lady Rety's ill-temper, and to hasten to the sheriff, whom she found closeted with Vandory.
Julia told them all she had heard when listening at her mistress's door.
”She has done the worst!” cried Vandory. ”Let us make haste. Perhaps there is time to save her!”