Part 44 (1/2)
”Strange, isn't it? I dare say the story will interest you, but there are other things to talk of first. What has forced you into hiding?”
”Circ.u.mstances and Raymond Latour,” he answered.
”And why should you keep your hiding-place a secret from me?”
”I will explain. It is rather a long story, and--”
”And I do not want to hear it,” she said. ”I know. It is not a pretty story. To save one woman you sacrifice another, and in the end are false to both.”
”What nonsense have you been told, Pauline?”
”I have been told very little, perhaps only know part of the tale even now, but it is sufficient. I only found out your hiding-place on Wednesday night. On Thursday and Friday, Citizen Legrand was with you.
By your contriving Mademoiselle St. Clair was in hiding. A large part of her money was in your hands, and she was in your way, so Legrand was instructed to send word to the Convention that one Richard Barrington, an American, had contrived by false representation to place her in Legrand's house for safety, and the doctor, suddenly discovering the falsehood, was to prove himself a good patriot and give her up. So Lucien Bruslart, by paying the doctor, was to get rid of a troublesome woman and retire to Belgium.”
”I do not know who can have told you such a story.”
”There are many spies in Paris,” she answered with a short laugh. ”But that is not all the tale. Yesterday you were very confidential with Citizen Legrand. You told him of another woman who was in love with you, and was troublesome, or would be if she knew where to find you. You had promised to marry her, a promise to the pretty fool which you did not intend to keep. It amused you to think how furious Pauline Vaison would be when she found out you had gone.”
”So that devil Legrand has been talking, has he?”
”Poor Lucien! Do you imagine you are the only scoundrel in Paris?”
”Scoundrel! Why, you pretty fool--it is your own expression, so let me use it--do you imagine I should tell the truth to Legrand? His own cupidity ruins him. Half the tale is true, the other half--why, Pauline, is it not the very scheme I told you of? I had hoped to rise to power in Paris; that I cannot do, but I have the money, and Pauline Vaison will join me across the Belgian frontier.”
”You only have half the money, Lucien, Legrand is to have the other half. It is his little fee.”
”Now you have come we may cheat him,” said Bruslart, quickly.
”Yes, a very excellent plan, but it won't work, my friend. I had none of this story from Legrand. Your money holds him faithful. He will be back in an hour, and in two hours you may perhaps be out of Paris.”
Bruslart looked at her, realizing the full extent of his danger for the first time.
”That is an awkward riddle for you to read, isn't it?” she said. ”It is an unpleasant position, as unpleasant as mine when they arrested me in the place of Mademoiselle St. Clair, and my lover took no steps to set the mistake right; as unpleasant as when my escape from the Abbaye forced you to hide from me. That is why you ran away, Lucien. You were afraid of me. Now I have found you, and mademoiselle has really escaped out of your clutches. It is a very awkward position, Lucien. I do not see how you are going to wriggle out of it.”
”The way is plain, let us arrange everything before Legrand returns,”
said Bruslart.
”There is nothing to arrange. This little c.o.c.kloft does not fill the whole of this upper story. There is another attic on the other side of that part.i.tion, with a cupboard in it. Standing in the cupboard, with the ear against the woodwork, one can hear all that is said here, and if you look in that part.i.tion you will find a crack, through which nearly the whole of this place can be seen. You may take my word for it, I have lived on the other side since Wednesday night. Your own servant betrayed your hiding-place to me, for a ridiculously small sum. Your worth is not great even in his eyes.”
”Be sensible, Pauline. I will--”
”Pay me for secrecy? Will you give me the other half of mademoiselle's money?”
”I said, be sensible. Come with me, join me on the road to the frontier.
It is what I have intended all along.”
”It's a lie!”
The woman was suddenly alive with pa.s.sion--dangerous, and Bruslart knew it.