Part 62 (1/2)

Intimidated, blus.h.i.+ng hotly, she stopped short, then changed the conversation.

”Do tell me if you have heard anything fres.h.!.+”

Fandor returned to his normal self also. He had sworn to himself that he would not tell Elizabeth he loved her, until he had succeeded in unravelling the tangled skein of the terrible Dollon affair.

”I shall speak,” thought he, ”when she is once more at peace and free, when she is out of danger. I do not want her to consent to love me just because I have devoted myself to her brother's case. Elizabeth shall be my wife, please G.o.d; but only if I deserve her, if I can win her.”

And Jerome Fandor told her the story of the famous wicker trunk--but he did not mention Thomery's death, nor did he speak of the horrible murder of Jules.... What was the use of saddening Elizabeth, of adding needlessly to her terrors? Instead, he thought it better to learn what he could from her.

”I have not found that famous list!” said he.

”Oh, I beg your pardon!” cried Elizabeth. ”I was so worried!... Just imagine that, I found the list after all, and I thought I had lost it!

It was in one of my little handbags. I had put it there to bring to you.

Here it is: they were quite willing to let me keep it!”

Fandor eagerly took the paper from Elizabeth and proceeded to examine it. Yes, it certainly was a page torn from a note-book of medium size.

An unknown hand had traced the following words in bold writing. The names succeeded one another in the form of a list.

_Baroness de Vibray, April 3. Jacques Dollon._ _Dep.... idem._ _Sonia Danidoff, April 12._ _Barbey-Nanteuil, May 15._ _Gerin...?_ _Madame B...?_ _Thomery, during May._ _Barbey-Nanteuil, end May._

Fandor could not find anything more on the paper. Whilst Elizabeth sat silent, Fandor reflected:

”Baroness de Vibray, April 3. Jacques Dollon ... these correspond exactly with the commencement of this mysterious affair: the two first deaths, and the date of their death.... What does _Dep._ signify? The initials of a name--or--yes, Dep ... Depot idem--yes, _Depot the same day!_ That's it! _Sonia Danidoff, April 12_ ... the full name, the exact date. _Barbey-Nanteuil, May 15_: the affair of rue du Quatre Septembre occurred May 20; that's pretty near. Two more names, and one date which exactly tallies. _Gerin?_... _Madame B_....? Who are they? Why no date?

Ah, Gerin, lawyer of Madame de Vibray, a crime planned, without date, perhaps because he was not indispensable ... and _Thomery_! Thomery, who died in the middle of May, as this plan indicates! But, how about the last line? _Barbey-Nanteuil, end of May?_ Oh, beyond a doubt the bankers were to be victims of some fresh aggression on the part of the mysterious author of these lines!”

”_Barbey-Nanteuil, end of May!_ We are at the 28th of the month: only three more days before the sinister date falls due! Are they to be attacked, or is it their money? How to defend them? How organise a trap for the mice?”

Suddenly, Fandor looked up, saw Elizabeth's anxiety, and said quietly:

”Well, this list agrees in every particular with the description you gave me of it, and I don't quite see what fresh information we are likely to get from it. However, will you leave it with me?”

Fandor rose.

”Ah, there is one point which has just occurred to me”--Fandor's voice trembled a good deal--”Do you know for a fact that your brother had bought Thomery shares?”

”He had very few, three or four. I think the Barbey-Nanteuil got them for him.”

”And your brother had to pay for them by a certain date?”

”Yes.”

Fandor now felt he must tear himself away. He was deeply moved.

”Elizabeth!... Elizabeth!” he cried. ”I swear to you we shall clear up these dreadful mysteries amidst which we live, and more, you and I! Only have confidence, I implore you! Grant me a week's grace, less even!”

Fandor pressed Elizabeth's hands as though he could never let them go!