Volume II Part 114 (1/2)
”Oh! my lord.”
”What is it?”
”Will your royal highness pardon me for informing you so suddenly of an event so fatal, so unlooked for, so--
”The countess is dead?”
”No, my lord, but her life is despaired of; she has been stabbed with a dagger.”
”Oh! it is frightful!” cried Rudolph, touched with pity, notwithstanding his aversion to Sarah. ”Who has committed this crime?”
”No one knows, my lord; the murder was accompanied by robbery; some one entered the apartment and carried off a large quant.i.ty of jewels.”
”And how is she now?”
”Her life is almost despaired of, my lord; she has not yet recovered her consciousness. Her brother is in a state of distraction.”
”You must go every day to inquire after her, my dear De Graun.”
At this moment Murphy returned from Saint Lazare.
”Learn sad news!” said Rudolph to him; ”the countess has been wounded!
her life is in great danger.”
”Oh! my lord; although she is very culpable, yet I cannot but pity her.”
”Yes; such an end would be frightful! And the Goualeuse?”
”Set at liberty yesterday, my lord, supposed by the intervention of Madame d'Harville.”