Part 2 (2/2)
”Listen; you arrived in Paris three months ago, accompanied by a young demoiselle whom you had decoyed from her home.”
”She was my wife.”
”Yes; you married her after your arrival here. The official records of the 21st arrondis.e.m.e.nt prove that--married her without her parents'
consent.”
”That is not so. They approved.”
”How could they? Your wife's father is French vice-consul at Gibraltar. Her mother is dead. Neither was present at your marriage; how, then, could they approve?”
Gascoigne did not answer.
”On your first arrival you were well provided with funds--the proceeds, no doubt, of some nefarious scheme; a run of luck at the tables; the plunder of some pigeon--”
”The price of my commission in the English Army.”
”Bah! You never were in the English Army.”
”I can prove it.”
”I shall not believe you. Being in funds, I say, you lived riotously, stayed at one of the best hotels, kept a landau and pair, dined at the Trois Freres and the Rocher de Cancale, frequented the theatres; madame wore the most expensive toilettes. But you presently ran short of cash.”
”It's not surprising. But I presume I was at liberty to do what I liked with my own.”
”Coming to the end of your resources,” went on the judge, coldly ignoring the sneer, ”you tried the gaming-table again, with varying success. You went constantly to the Hotel Paradis--”
”On the contrary, occasionally, not often.”
”You were there last night; it is useless to deny it. We have the deposition of the proprietor, who is well known to the police--M.
Hippolyte Ledantec; you shall be confronted with him.”
”Is he in custody?” asked Gascoigne, eagerly.
”I tell you it is not your place to question.”
”He ought to be. It was he who committed the murder.”
”You know there was a murder, then? Curious. When the body was discovered by the porter there was no one present. How could you know of the crime unless you had a hand in it?”
”I saw it committed. I tried my best to save the Baron, but Ledantec stabbed him before I could interpose.”
”An ingenious attempt to s.h.i.+ft the guilt; but it will not serve. We know better.”
”I am prepared to swear it was Ledantec. Why should I attack the Baron? I owed him no grudge.”
”Why? I will tell you. For some time past, as I have reminded you, your funds have been running low, fortune has been against you at the tables, and you could not correct it at the Hotel Paradis as you do with less clever players--”
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