Volume III Part 52 (1/2)
”Oh! madame, may G.o.d bless you for what you do,” said Saint Remy; ”but pardon me for not having told you my name--so much sorrow! so much emotion!--I am the Count de Saint Remy; the husband of Madame de Fermont was my most intimate friend. I live at Angers. I left that city because I was uneasy at not having received any news from these two n.o.ble and worthy women. I have since heard that they have been completely ruined.”
”Oh! sir, you do not know all. Madame Fermont has been most cruelly despoiled!”
”By her notary, perhaps? For a moment I had such a suspicion.”
”The man was a monster, sir! Alas! this cruel crime is not his only one.
But, happily,” said Clemence, thinking of Rudolph, ”he has been compelled to make rest.i.tution; and while closing the eyes of Madame de Fermont, I have been able to a.s.sure her that her daughter is provided for. Her death thus had fewer pangs.”
”I comprehend; knowing that her daughter was under your protection, madame, my poor friend died more tranquilly.”
”Not only is my protection forever secured to Miss de Fermont, but her fortune will also be restored.”
”Her fortune! How? The notary--”
”Has been forced to restore her money, which he had appropriated to himself by a horrid crime!”
”A crime?”
”This man a.s.sa.s.sinated the brother of Madame de Fermont, and made her believe that this unfortunate man had committed suicide, after having dissipated her fortune.”
”This is horrible; it can hardly be credited; and yet I have had my doubts about this notary, for Renneville was honor itself. And this money--”
”Is deposited with a venerable priest, M. le Cure of Bonne-Nouvelle; he will hand it to Miss de Fermont.”
”This rest.i.tution is not sufficient for human justice, madame! The scaffold claims this notary, for he has not only committed one murder, but two. The death of Madame de Fermont, the sufferings which her daughter has endured on this hospital bed, have been caused by the infamous abuse of confidence of this wretch!”
”And this wretch has committed another murder, quite as frightful!”
”What do you say, madame?”
”If he made away with the brother of Madame de Fermont by a pretended suicide, only a few days since he cruelly murdered a young girl, in whose destruction he was interested, by causing her to be drowned, certain that this would be attributed to accident.”
Saint Remy shuddered, looked at Madame d'Harville with surprise, and thinking of Fleur-de-Marie, cried: ”Oh! what a strange coincidence!”
”What is the matter, my lord?”
”That young girl! Where was it he wished to drown her?”
”In the Seine, near Asnieres, I am told.”
”It is she! it is the same!” cried Saint Remy.
”Of whom do you speak, my lord?”
”Of the girl this monster had an interest in.”
”Fleur-de-Marie?”
”Do you know her, my lady?”