the yellow crayon-第42章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


restlessness。　　I　will　tell　you　how　to　deal　with　Brott；　and　the
publicity；　after　all；　will　be　nothing。　　We　will　go　abroad　directly
afterwards。〃

〃Have　you　finished？〃　she　asked。

〃You　will　be　reasonable！〃　he　begged。

〃Reasonable！〃　She　turned　upon　him　with　flashing　eyes。　　〃I　wonder
how　you　ever　dared　to　imagine　that　I　could　tolerate　you　for　one
moment　as　a　lover　or　a　husband。　　Wipe　it　out　of　your　mind　once　and
for　all。　　You　are　repellent　to　me。　　Positively　the　only　wish　I　have
in　connection　with　you　is　never　to　see　your　face　again。　　As　for　my
duty；　I　have　done　it。　　My　conscience　is　clear。　　I　shall　leave　this
house　to…day。〃

〃I　hope；〃　the　Prince　said　softly；　〃that　you　will　do　nothing　rash！〃

〃In　an　hour；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　be　at　the　Carlton　with　my　husband。
I　will　trust　to　him　to　protect　me　from　you。〃

The　Prince　shook　his　head。

〃You　talk　rashly；〃　he　said。　　〃You　do　not　think。　　You　are　forbidden
to　leave　this　house。　　You　are　forbidden　to　join　your　husband。〃

She　laughed　scornfully；　but　underneath　was　a　tremor　of　uneasiness。

〃You　summoned　me　from　America；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　came　。。。　I　was
forced　to　leave　my　husband　without　even　a　word　of　farewell。　　I　did
it！　　You　set　me　a　task　…　I　have　accomplished　it。　　I　claim　that　I
have　kept　my　bond；　that　I　have　worked　out　my　own　freedom。　　If　you
require　more　of　me；　I　say　that　you　are　overstepping　your　authority；
and　I　refuse。　　Set　the　black　cross　against　my　name　if　you　will。　　I
will　take　the　risk。〃

The　Prince　came　a　little　nearer　to　her。　　She　held　her　own　bravely
enough；　but　there　was　a　look　in　his　face　which　terrified　her。

〃Lucille；〃　he　said；　〃you　force　me　to　disclose　something　which　I
have　kept　so　far　to　myself。　　I　wished　to　spare　you　anxiety；　but
you　must　understand　that　your　safety　depends　upon　your　remaining
in　this　house；　and　in　keeping　apart　from　all　association　with
　…　your　husband。〃

〃You　will　find　it　difficult；〃　she　said；　〃to　convince　me　of　that。〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　find　it　easy　…　too　easy；
believe　me。　　You　will　remember　my　finding　you　at　the　wine…shop　of
Emil　Sachs？〃

〃Yes！〃

〃You　refused　to　tell　me　the　object　of　your　visit。　　It　was　foolish；
for　of　course　I　was　informed。　　You　procured　from　Emil　a　small
quantity　of　the　powder　prepared　according　to　the　recipe　of　Herr
Estentrauzen；　and　for　which　we　paid　him　ten　thousand　marks。　　It　is
the　most　silent；　the　most　secret；　the　most　swift　poison　yet
discovered。〃

〃I　got　it　for　myself；〃　she　said　coldly。　　〃There　have　been　times
when　I　have　felt　that　the　possession　of　something　of　that　sort　was
an　absolute　necessity；〃

〃I　do　not　question　you　as　to　the　reason　for　your　getting　it；〃　he
answered。　　〃Very　shortly　afterwards　you　left　your　carriage　in　Pall
Mall；　and　without　even　asking　for　your　husband　you　called　at　his
hotel　…　you　stole　up　into　his　room。〃

〃I　took　some　roses　there　and　left　them；〃　she　said　〃What　of　that？〃

〃Only　that　you　were　the　last　person　seen　to　enter　Mr。　Sabin's　rooms
before　Duson　was　found　there　dead。　　And　Duson　died　from　a　dose　of
that　same　poison；　a　packet　of　which　you　procured　secretly　from　Emil
Sachs。　　An　empty　wineglass　was　by　his　side　…　it　was　one　generally
used　by　Mr。　Sabin。　　I　know　that　the　English　police；　who　are　not　so
foolish　as　people　would　have　one　believe；　are　searching　now　for　the
woman　who　was　seen　to　enter　the　sitting…room　shortly　before　Mr。
Sabin　returned　and　found　Duson　there　dead。〃

She　laughed　scornfully。

〃It　is　ingenious；〃　she　admitted；　〃and　perhaps　a　little　unfortunate
for　me。　　But　the　inference　is　ridiculous。　　What　interest　had　I　in
the　man's　death？〃

〃None；　of　course！〃　the　Prince　said。　　〃But；　Lucille；　in　all　cases
of　poisoning　it　is　the　wife　of　whom　one　first　thinks！〃

〃The　wife？　I　did　not　even　know　that　the　creature　had　a　wife。〃

〃Of　course　not！　　But　Duson　drank　from　Mr。　Sabin's　glass；　and　you
are　Mr。　Sabin's　wife。　　You　are　living　apart　from　him。　　He　is　old
and　you　are　young。　　And　for　the　other　man　…　there　is　Reginald　Brott。
Your　names　have　been　coupled　together；　of　course。　　See　what　an
excellent　case　stands　there。　　You　procure　the　poison　…　secretly。
You　make　your　way　to　your　husband's　room　…　secretly。　　The　fatal
dose　is　taken　from　your　husband's　Wineglass。　　You　leave　no　note；
no　message。　　The　poison　of　which　the　man　died　is　exactly　the　same
as　you　procured　from　Sachs。　　Lucille；　after　all；　do　you　wonder　that
the　police　are　looking　for　a　woman　in　black　with　an　ermine　toque？
What　a　mercy　you　wore　a　thick　veil！〃

She　sat　down　suddenly。

〃This　is　hideous；〃　she　said。

〃Think　it　over；〃　he　said；　〃step　by　step。　　It　is　wonderful　how　all
the　incidents　dovetail　into　one　another。〃

〃Too　wonderful；〃　she　cried。　　〃It　sounds　like　some　vile　plot　to
incriminate　me。　　How　much　had　you　to　do　with　this；　Prince？〃

〃Don't　be　a　fool！〃　he　answered　roughly。　　〃Can't　you　see　for　yourself
that　your　arrest　would　be　the　most　terrible　thing　that　could　happen
for　us？　　Even　Sachs　might　break　down　in　cross…examination；　and　you
　…　well；　you　are　a　woman；　and　you　want　to　live。　　We　should　all　be
in　the　most　deadly　peril。　　Lucille；　I　would　have　spared　you　this
anxiety　if　I　could；　but　your　defiance　made　it　necessary。　　There　was
no　other　way　of　getting　you　away　from　England　to…night　except　by
telling　you　the　truth。〃

〃Away　from　England　to…night；〃　she　repeated　vaguely。　　〃But　I　will
not　go。　　It　is　impossible。〃

〃It　is　imperative；〃　the　Prince　declared；　with　a　sharp　ring　of
authority　in　his　tone。　　〃It　is　your　own　folly；　for　which　you　have
to　pay。　　You　went　secretly　to　Emil　Sachs。　　You　paid　surreptitious
visits　to　your　husband；　which　were　simply　madness。　　You　have
involved　us　all　in　danger。　　For　our　own　sakes　we　must　see　that
you　are　removed。〃

〃It　is　the　very　thing　to　excite　suspicion　…　flight　abroad；〃　she
objected。

〃Your　flight；〃　he　said　coolly；　〃will　be　looked　upon　from　a　different
point　of　view；　for　Reginald　Brott　must　follow　you。　　It　will　be　an
elopement；　not　a　flight　from　justice。〃

〃And　in　case　I　should　decline？〃　Lucille　asked　quietly。

The　Prince　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Well；　we　have　done　the　best　we　can　for　ourselves；〃　he　said。　　〃Come；
I　will　be　frank　with　you。　　There　are　great　interests　involved　here；
and；　before　all　things；　I　have　had　to　consider　the　welfare　of　our
friends。　　That　is　my　duty！　　Emil　Sachs　by　this　time　is　beyond　risk
of　detection。　　He　has　left　behind　a　letter；　in　which　he　confesses
that　he　has　for　some　time　supplemented　the　profits　of　his　wine…shop
by　selling　secretly　certain　deadly　poisons　of　his　own　concoctions。
Alarmed　at　reading　of　the　death　of　Duson　immediately　after　he　had
sold　a　poison　which　the　symptoms　denoted　he　had　fled　the　country。
That　letter　is　in　the　hands　of　the　woman　who　remains　in　the
wine…shop；　and　will　only　be　used　in　case　of　necessity。　　By　other
means　we　have　dissociated　ourselves　from　Duson　and　all　connection
with　him。　　I　think　I　could　go　so　far　as　to　say　that　it　would　be
impossible　to　implicate　us。　　Our　sole　anxiety　now；　therefore；　is　to
save　you。〃

Lucille　rose　to　her　feet。

〃I　shall　go　at　once　to　my　husband；〃　she　said。　　〃I　shall　tell　him
everything。　　I　shall　act　on　his　advice。〃

The　Prince　stood　over　by　the　door；　and　she　heard　the　key　turn。

〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃You　are　in
my　power　at　last；　Lucille。　　You　will　do　my　bidding；　or　…　〃

〃Or　what？〃

〃I　shall　myself　send　for　the　police　and　give　you　into　custody！〃


CHAPTER　XXXV

The　Prince　crossed　the　hail　and　entered　the　morning…room。　　Felix
was　there　and　Raoul　de　Brouillac。　　The　Duchess　sat　at　her
writing…table；　scribbling　a　note。　　Lady　Carey；　in　a　wonderful　white
serge　costume；　and　a　huge　bunch　of　Neapolitan　violets　at　her　bosom；
was　lounging　in　an　easy…chair；　swinging　her　foot　backwards　and
forwards。　　The　Duke；　in　a　very　old　tweed　coat；　but　immaculate　as　to
linen　and　the　details　of　his　toilet；　stood　a　little　apart；　with　a
frown　upon　his　forehead；　and　exactly　that　absorbed　air　which　in　the
House　of　Lords　usually　indicated　his　intention　to　make　a　speech。　　The
entrance　of　the　Prince；　who　carefully　closed　the　door　behind　him；
was　an　event　for　which　evidently　they　were　all　waiting。

〃My　good　people；〃　he　said　blandly；　〃I　wish　yo