Part 61 (2/2)

The poor girl's eyes filled with tears.

”Why have you betrayed me?” she demanded in a voice trembling with restrained emotion. ”Oh, how could you get me arrested? You, who well know I am not guilty?”

”You really believe I have betrayed you? You actually credited me with that?”

These two young people, meeting in a prison parlour under such tragic circ.u.mstances, were hurt and even angry with each other.

Elizabeth Dollon went on:

”Why did you not tell me that you had found on that piece of soap traces of my brother's finger-marks? Why did you accuse me of having received a visit from him, when you yourself had proved that he was dead?”

Fandor took Elizabeth's two little hands in his and pressed them long and tenderly.

”My dear Elizabeth, when I engineered this theatrical stroke in the presence of the examining magistrate, in order to secure your arrest, believe me, I had no time to warn you of what I meant to do.... Ah, if I could have warned you--but it would have only disturbed you to no good purpose, besides--your being really taken by surprise was a help--there could not be any idea of collusion.... Of course, you want the answer to this riddle? You shall have it--that is why I am here.... Don't you remember, Elizabeth, that on the evening before the fatal day you told me that I had twice rung you up on the telephone? And that each time you answered the call you could not find me at the end of the line?... You cannot imagine what I felt when I heard you say that! I never telephoned! I never telephoned to the convent!

”The obvious conclusion was, that the individuals who, for some reason, did not wish to make themselves known, did wish to keep track of you, and to a.s.sure themselves that you were still at the convent, rue de la Glaciere....”

Fandor's voice trembled a little, as he went on:

”And I was at once afraid, my poor child, that these people who were pursuing you, might be the very same who had got into Madame Bourrat's house, and had tried to kill you.... Ah, do you not see how greatly it hurt and troubled me to think that I had taken you to the convent, and had there placed you in security--as I thought--but where you were far from being safe?”

Again Fandor took Elizabeth's hands in his.

”You do understand now, dear child, why I had you arrested?... I felt you would be safe here.... You see, I could not get your persecutors imprisoned and so prevent them from getting at you. To imprison you was the alternative: you are better guarded here than elsewhere.”

Elizabeth smiled a little smile when she saw how moved Fandor was.

”But,” replied she, ”there is the other point! You certainly told me that you were sure my brother was killed in prison--in his cell!”

”Certainly, I did! The a.s.sa.s.sination of your brother was premeditated.

If the criminals have had accomplices at the Depot, and such there certainly were, they have been bought over little by little.... The fact of your brother's murder is fresh in the memory of the police, of all, therefore, a special watch is kept over you. I ascertained that it would be so, and Fuselier himself a.s.sured me of it: there is a warder specially told off to keep a close guard over you, a safe man, known to be beyond suspicion.... No, Elizabeth, do believe me, if I was the cause of your horrified surprise the other day, and then of your imprisonment, I wished to be sure that you were as safe as it was possible to be; then, freed from such intense anxiety, I felt I should be at liberty to continue my investigations.... Do say you forgive me!”

All Elizabeth could say was:

”But why not have warned me?... I still can't quite see!...”

”Why, because, I only thought of the plan at the last moment! Also, because I feared you might not be able to act surprise naturally enough!... It was absolutely--yes, absolutely necessary--that everyone should take your arrest seriously.... Surely, Elizabeth, you can understand that!”

He repeated his plea.

”Do, do say you forgive me, Elizabeth!”

The smile returned to Elizabeth's lips: she was much moved.

”Indeed, I do... You are always my very good friend: you think of everything, and you watch over me as if ...”

<script>