Part 53 (1/2)
On the Pont de la Concorde, if I remember aright, and on the morning you left Paris so suddenly without bidding us farewell, you--”
”How is Glanville?” interrupted the artist. ”Have you met him since he forsook the Quartier Latin?”
”Forsook! Bah!” exclaimed the voluble Frenchwoman, shrugging her shoulders deprecatingly. Without answering the question, she continued: ”At the time your departure caused some surprise among us, but we little dreamed that you had any connection with the affair of the Boulevard Haussmann. It was only afterwards that the reason of your flight was discovered--”
”By whom?” he asked anxiously.
”By me alone. Never fear, I shall act with circ.u.mspection,” she added, noticing his look of anxiety and alarm. ”My life has been as adventurous as yours, and since that occurrence I have learnt wisdom. I have sought you for two reasons.”
”What are they?”
”Firstly, your friend here, M'sieur Trethowen, and yourself have both been the victims of Valerie Duvauchel. You drank of her love philtre, and succ.u.mbed to her beauty. You desire revenge--eh?”
Hugh bent his head in acquiescence.
”I, too, have been cruelly wronged by her. I have waited long in order to repay the debt I owe, and the hour of her retribution is now at hand.”
”What has she done to you?” asked Hugh anxiously.
”I will explain everything when in your presence, I meet her face to face. Till then I keep my own secret, fully confident that after the revelations I shall make she will not dare to trouble you again with her presence.”
”But you must not--you shall not--do this!” cried Egerton excitedly.
”She will wreak her vengeance upon me.”
”Entertain no such gloomy apprehensions,” urged Gabrielle, with a smile of a.s.surance. ”Before I have done with `La Belle Hirondelle' she will implore for mercy upon her knees. But will I extend any to her? No.
_Grand Dieu_! She shall suffer for her crime, as I have done.”
She spoke determinedly, her dark eyes emitting a fierce gleam of hatred.
”How do you propose to do that?” inquired Hugh breathlessly.
”Ask no questions at present, m'sieur. Your wife and her lover have obtained your fortune and are spending it recklessly. At present this-- what you call leader of the _demi-rnonde_--is entertaining a party at your chateau. My proposal is that we three go down there to-morrow and in the midst of the festivities, we will produce an interesting tableau.
Do you agree?”
”You spoke of my wife's lover,” gasped Hugh. ”Tell me, who is he?”
”Pierre Rouillier--the man you know as Adolphe Chavoix.”
”Chavoix!”
”Yes. Accompany me to-morrow, and you shall see.”
There was a brief silence, followed by some protests from Egerton, but after considerable argument it was eventually agreed that mademoiselle's suggestion should be carried out.
The artist produced some wine and gla.s.ses, and they drank together.
Soon afterwards Gabrielle, urging her old friend to be of good cheer, took her departure. As she opened the door to take her leave, she exclaimed, with an exultant laugh--
”La Belle little dreams how near is Nemesis. You do not antic.i.p.ate how complete my revenge will be. Her future is in my hands. _Mon Dieu_!