Part 41 (2/2)

”I have a sister in London, a widow,” he said. ”She is kind. I, too, have been thinking of what will become of Mlle. Celie. I wrote to my sister, and here is her reply. Mlle. Celie will be very welcome.”

Hanaud stretched out his hand and shook Ricardo's warmly.

”She will not, I think, be for very long a burden. She is young. She will recover from this shock. She is very pretty, very gentle. If--if no one comes forward whom she loves and who loves her--I--yes, I myself, who was her papa for one night, will be her husband forever.”

He laughed inordinately at his own joke; it was a habit of M. Hanaud's.

Then he said gravely:

”But I am glad, M. Ricardo, for Mlle. Celie's sake that I came to your amusing dinner-party in London.”

Mr. Ricardo was silent for a moment. Then he asked:

”And what will happen to the condemned?”

”To the women? Imprisonment for life.”

”And to the man?”

Hanaud shrugged his shoulders.

”Perhaps the guillotine. Perhaps New Caledonia. How can I say? I am not the President of the Republic.”

END

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