Part 43 (1/2)

”What business is it? Tell us; perhaps we can help her out of it.”

”Oh, no! The law has got its hand on her, and yet the poor child is as innocent as you and me.”

”The devil! that's saying a good deal; but tell us what it's all about.”

”You must know that my friend, who has only been in the business a little while, was formerly a servant, a lady's maid in several houses; among others she worked for a widow lady who died a little while ago.

Well, would you believe that they have taken it into their heads, in the quarter, that that lady was poisoned! That report came to the ears of the authorities; they dug up the dead woman, and it seems that the doctors say the same thing as the neighbors. So they looked into the matter, and they've arrested my friend, because she worked for the lady at that time; but the poor child is as pure as this gla.s.s of wine, I swear.”

Dufresne listened attentively to Veronique's story, while Lampin toyed with the other young woman, and Edouard, who had relapsed into his reflections concerning a forgery of which he knew that he was guilty, had thrown himself into an easy-chair in a corner of the room, paying no heed to a story which did not interest him in the least.

”This affair seems to me to be a most remarkable one,” said Dufresne, drawing his chair nearer to Veronique's; ”but what is your friend's name?”

”Suzanne; she is a good child, on my honor, and incapable of tearing a hair from anybody's head, I don't care whose.”

At the name of Suzanne, Dufresne showed signs of perturbation. But instantly recovering himself, he glanced about the room, saw that Murville was not listening, and that Lampin was busy; and he continued to question Veronique.

”It seems to me that your Suzanne will have difficulty in getting out of the sc.r.a.pe, if, as you say, this lady had no other servant than her?”

”Oh! that don't make any difference; Suzanne suspects who it was that did the job.”

”Really?”

”Yes, my friend. A young man, a friend of the widow, her lover, used to come to see her; he was a gambler, a rascal, a sharper.”

”All right! all right! I understand!--Well?”

”The poor woman ruined herself for the good-for-nothing!--Wait a minute, I know her name--Madame Dou--Dol------”

”No matter! no matter!” said Dufresne, abruptly interrupting Veronique, ”I don't need to know her name.”

”That's so, that don't make any difference about the business. However, this lady was mad over her lover, who didn't care anything for her and robbed her all he could. It seems that they had a row toward the end, and that the monster must have poisoned her to revenge himself because she proposed to tell about all his goings-on.”

”That is very probable.”

”Ah! men are vile dogs nowadays. They kill a woman as quick as a fly!”

”What does your Suzanne intend to do?”

”Oh! she has already told the police all this, so that they can get track of the criminal, who is now I don't know where.”

”That is very wise, and I hope they will discover the truth.”

Dufresne said these last words in an undertone. Despite the a.s.surance which he affected, the discomposure of his features betrayed the sensations that agitated him.

The evening came to an end earlier than usual. Edouard was anxious, and Dufresne also seemed greatly excited. They sent the two young women away. Lampin, who alone had retained his good spirits, poured out b.u.mper after b.u.mper for his friends, making fun of their gloom. Edouard drank to forget himself, but Dufresne was not inclined to bear them company, and Lampin got tipsy alone, trying in vain to make his companions laugh.

”Come, come, my boys, this won't work,” he said, filling the gla.s.ses; ”you're as solemn to-night as gallows-birds! I forgive Bellecour, who is only a chicken-hearted fellow anyway! But you over there--Vermontre--Courval--Dufresne--or whatever you choose to call yourself----”

”Hold your tongue, you idiot!” cried Dufresne angrily; ”I forbid you to call me by that last name now!”