"Juana,I have something to say to you."
"What has happened?"she asked,instantly perceiving from the livid paleness of her husband that the misfortune she had daily expected was upon them.
"Oh,nothing;but I want to speak to you--to you,alone."And he glanced at his sons.
"My dears,go to your room,and go to bed,"said Juana;"say your prayers without me."The boys left the room in silence,with the incurious obedience of well-trained children.
"My dear Juana,"said Diard,in a coaxing voice,"I left you with very little money,and I regret it now.Listen to me;since I relieved you of the care of our income by giving you an allowance,have you not,like other women,laid something by?""No,"replied Juana,"I have nothing.In making that allowance you did not reckon the costs of the children's education.I don't say that to reproach you,my friend,only to explain my want of money.All that you gave me went to pay masters and--""Enough!"cried Diard,violently."Thunder of heaven!every instant is precious!Where are your jewels?""You know very well I have never worn any."
"Then there's not a sou to be had here!"cried Diard,frantically.
"Why do you shout in that way?"she asked.
"Juana,"he replied,"I have killed a man."
Juana sprang to the door of her children's room and closed it;then she returned.
"Your sons must hear nothing,"she said."With whom have you fought?""Montefiore,"he replied.
"Ah!"she said with a sigh,"the only man you had the right to kill.""There were many reasons why he should die by my hand.But I can't lose time--Money,money!for God's sake,money!I may be pursued.We did not fight.I--I killed him.""Killed him!"she cried,"how?"
"Why,as one kills anything.He stole my whole fortune and I took it back,that's all.Juana,now that everything is quiet you must go down to that heap of stones--you know the heap by the garden wall--and get that money,since you haven't any in the house.""The money that you stole?"said Juana.
"What does that matter to you?Have you any money to give me?I tell you I must get away.They are on my traces.""Who?"
"The people,the police."
Juana left the room,but returned immediately.
"Here,"she said,holding out to him at arm's length a jewel,"that is Dona Lagounia's cross.There are four rubies in it,of great value,Ihave been told.Take it and go--go!"
"Felicie hasn't come back,"he cried,with a sudden thought."Can she have been arrested?"Juana laid the cross on the table,and sprang to the windows that looked on the street.There she saw,in the moonlight,a file of soldiers posting themselves in deepest silence along the wall of the house.She turned,affecting to be calm,and said to her husband:--"You have not a minute to lose;you must escape through the garden.
Here is the key of the little gate."
As a precaution she turned to the other windows,looking on the garden.In the shadow of the trees she saw the gleam of the silver lace on the hats of a body of gendarmes;and she heard the distant mutterings of a crowd of persons whom sentinels were holding back at the end of the streets up which curiosity had drawn them.Diard had,in truth,been seen to enter his house by persons at their windows,and on their information and that of the frightened maid-servant,who was arrested,the troops and the people had blocked the two streets which led to the house.A dozen gendarmes,returning from the theatre,had climbed the walls of the garden,and guarded all exit in that direction.
"Monsieur,"said Juana,"you cannot escape.The whole town is here."Diard ran from window to window with the useless activity of a captive bird striking against the panes to escape.Juana stood silent and thoughtful.
"Juana,dear Juana,help me!give me,for pity's sake,some advice.""Yes,"said Juana,"I will;and I will save you.""Ah!you are always my good angel."
Juana left the room and returned immediately,holding out to Diard,with averted head,one of his own pistols.Diard did not take it.
Juana heard the entrance of the soldiers into the courtyard,where they laid down the body of the murdered man to confront the assassin with the sight of it.She turned round and saw Diard white and livid.
The man was nearly fainting,and tried to sit down.
"Your children implore you,"she said,putting the pistol beneath his hand.
"But--my good Juana,my little Juana,do you think--Juana!is it so pressing?--I want to kiss you."The gendarmes were mounting the staircase.Juana grasped the pistol,aimed it at Diard,holding him,in spite of his cries,by the throat;then she blew his brains out and flung the weapon on the ground.
At that instant the door was opened violently.The public prosecutor,followed by an examining judge,a doctor,a sheriff,and a posse of gendarmes,all the representatives,in short,of human justice,entered the room.
"What do you want?"asked Juana.