登陆注册
15423500000063

第63章

MASCARIN SPEAKS.

This was the conclusion of the manuscript handed by Mascarin to Paul Violaine, and the young man laid down the roll of paper with the remark, "And that is all."He had consumed six hours in reading this sad account of the follies and crimes of the owners of illustrious names.

Mascarin had listened with the complacency of an author who hears his own work read aloud to him, but all the while he was keenly watching him beneath his spectacles and the faces of his companions.The effect that was produced was immense, and exactly what he had anticipated.

Paul, Hortebise, and Catenac gazed upon each other with faces in which astonishment at the strange recital, and then at the power of the man who had collected these facts together, were mingled, and Catenac was the first who spoke.The sound of his own voice seemed gradually to dispel the vague sense of apprehension that hung about the office.

"Aha!" cried he, "I always said that our old friend Mascarin would make his mark in literature.As soon as his pen touches the paper the business man vanishes; we have no longer a collection of dry facts and proofs, but the stirring pages of a sensational novel.""Do you really consider that as a mere romance?" asked Hortebise.

"It reads like one certainly; you must allow that.""Catenac," remarked Mascarin in his bitterly sarcastic tone, "is best able to pronounce upon the truth or falsehood of this narrative, as he is the professional adviser of this same Duke de Champdoce, the very Norbert whose life has just been read to you.""I do not deny that there is some slight foundation to it," returned the lawyer.

"Then what is it that you do deny"

"Nothing, nothing; I merely objected, more in jest than otherwise, to the sentimental manner in which you have set forward your case.""Catenac," remarked Mascarin, addressing the others, "has received many confidential communications from his noble client, which he has not thought fit to communicate to us; and though he fancied that we were drifting into quicksands and among breakers, he displayed no signal of warning to save us from our danger, hoping, like a true friend, that, by this means, he might get rid of us."Catenac began to utter protestations and denials, but Mascarin cut him short with an imperative gesture, and, after a long pause, he again commenced,--"You must understand that my inquisitors have had but little to do in this affair, for my work has chiefly consisted in putting fragments together.It is not to me that you are indebted for the sensational (Ithink that that was the term used) part of my story, but rather to Madame de Mussidan and Norbert de Champdoce.I am sure that some of the phrases must have struck you considerably.""It seems to me," objected Catenac--

"Perhaps," broke in Mascarin, "you have forgotten the correspondence which the Countess de Mussidan preserved so carefully--both his letters and her own, which Norbert returned to her.""And we have those?"

"Of course we have, only there is a perfect romance contained in these letters.What I have read is a mere bald extract from them; and this is not all.The man who assisted me in the unravelling of this dark intrigue was the original promoter--Daumon.""What, is the Counsellor still alive?"

"Certainly, and you know him.He is not quite in his first youth, and has aged somewhat, but his intellect is as brilliant as ever."Catenac grew serious."You tell me a great deal," said he.

"I can tell you even more.I can tell you that the account of the deed was written under the dictation of Caroline Schimmel," broke in Mascarin."This unlucky woman started for Havre, intending to sail for the United States, but she got no further than that seaport town, for the good looks and the persuasive tongue of a sailor induced her to alter her plans.As long as her money lasted he remained an ardent lover, but vanished with the disappearance of her last thousand-franc note.Starving and poverty-stricken, Caroline returned to Paris and to the Duke de Champdoce, who accepted her constant demands for money as a penitent expiation of his crime.But she remained faithful to her oath; and had it not been for her terrible propensity for drink, Tantaine would never have succeeded in extracting her secret from her.

If, on her recovery from her fit of drunk coma, she recollects what has taken place, she will, if I read her character right, go straight to the Duke de Champdoce and tell him that his secret has passed into better hands."At this idea being promulgated, Catenac started from his chair with a loud oath.

"Did you think," asked Mascarin, "that I should feel so much at my ease if I found that there was the slightest risk? Let us consider what it is that Caroline can say.Who is it that she can accuse of having stolen her secret from her? Why, only a poor old wretch named Tantaine.How can the Duke possibly trace any connection between this miserable writer and Catenac?""Yes, I think that it would be a difficult task.""Besides," pursued Mascarin, "what have we to fear from the Duke de Champdoce? Nothing, as far as I can see.Is he not as much in our power as the woman he formerly loved--Diana de Mussidan? Do we not hold the letters of both of them, and do we not know in what corner of his garden to dig to discover a damning piece of evidence? Remember that there will be no difficulty in identifying the skeleton, for at the time of his disappearance, Croisenois had about him several Spanish doubloons, a fact which was given to the police.""Well," said Catenac, "I will act faithfully.Tell me your plans, and I will let you know all that I hear from the Duke."For a moment a smile hovered upon Mascarin's lips, for this time he placed firm reliance upon the good faith of the lawyer.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 重生乱世称雄

    重生乱世称雄

    弱肉强食的年代,唯有以拳头和智慧说话。这是一部超热血的男儿戏,称霸、赚钱、美女、爱国一样都不能少-----兵王凌厉的刀法,飘逸的武打是男儿忠义本色的体现,那些挥洒的鲜血,就是暗示着这残寒世界的幕景!它不是一部端着爆米花牵着姑娘的小手窝在沙发里缠绵的文艺书籍,而是兵王重生后的青春注脚----------请好好欣赏乱世中有血有肉的情义之美!尊重历史、娱乐书本、欢迎品读
  • 环境与资源法学

    环境与资源法学

    是作为法学核心课程“ 环境与资源保护法学”的配套教材?写而成的。全书根据 环境资源法学最新的理论成果,结合我国环境立法的最新进展,系统阐述了本学科的基础知识与基本理论。
  • 男宠逆天:参见女皇陛下

    男宠逆天:参见女皇陛下

    开朗又大条的范梓涵竟然穿越了,穿越不要紧,可要紧的是在现代有权又有势的范氏集团大小姐竟在一夜之间变成了女皇?尼玛的,老天这么就这么便宜她?霎时间坐享荣华!可她没想到,她的男宠正在为她争风吃醋?!
  • 盛宠暖妻总裁好好爱

    盛宠暖妻总裁好好爱

    《绝对的强势宠文》,一朝高高在上的大小姐交成了落魄千金,被继母卖给了花花公子,却不想遇见了夜凌逸到S市办公事被人下了药,千雅涵被迫躲进了房间.六年后,霸气女主带可爱萌宝回归....从此,男主开启了宠宠宠模式...某天,千雅涵扶着腰,说:“滚.....。”某夜:“我滚..。”又滚到了千雅涵旁边暖暖的宠文,撒娇打滚求收藏...
  • 阴灵鬼师

    阴灵鬼师

    白苏:男,二十岁,白家第二十三代捉鬼天师,被称为最特别的人。特别爱抱怨,外表文弱书生手不能提肩不能抗风一吹就倒人一碰就碎,实际人不怕鬼怕,一挥手冤鬼逃也逃不了躲也躲不掉。总是会问的三个问题:“你是什么时候死的?”“是谁杀了你?”“为什么不去投胎?”
  • 虚空星域

    虚空星域

    在未来的2066:超能力·魔法·外星人逐一发现。每一秒未来都在改变着进化着。在没有极限的未来中正演绎着惊天故事。
  • 人间世传奇之清风歌

    人间世传奇之清风歌

    日暮苍山林幽幽,落英飞叶逐水流,不修梅花不修愁。懒卧看红尘,熙熙攘攘不罢休,回首天边月,道声不醉不许走。呔!星朗朗,云淡淡,嘉时正年华,将将做个潇洒老酒瓯,把《清风歌》唱个够。《人间世传奇三部曲》之《清风歌》,一个写写画画落拓人,一截杀气腾腾江湖史,一群嬉笑怒骂好朋友,一首缥缈寥廓清风歌。
  • TFBOYS之樱花的祝福

    TFBOYS之樱花的祝福

    刘雨晴一你爱过我吗?刘雨婷一我还爱你吗?林茜茜一你到的爱过我没有,王俊凯一我还爱你,你知道吗?王源一婷,我们回不到从前了吗?易烊千玺一我很爱你,你回来吧!
  • 战国风云之大燕帝国

    战国风云之大燕帝国

    战国,一个先秦文化璀璨的时代。诸子百家,奠定了中华文明;战国末年,七雄争霸,一个穿越而来的现代人,将在这乱世之中谱写怎样的篇章???此书最大的目的在于宣扬先秦的学术思想和文化。
  • 魔下天空

    魔下天空

    我是在黑暗里逃亡的人,不管有没有阳光我都是注定得不得快乐的人,你呢,言初,在乎我我懂。可我不懂那把刀刺入你身体时的眼神。后来才知道:情不知所起,一往而深。后来我以魔界少主的身份遇见了你。在人界我断了你的姻缘,在魔界你在大婚上将我救下。木北寒,你让我用另一个身份爱上了也有另一个身份的你。那么我在这里等你三百年可好?三百年前我把你弄丢了,三百年后我亲自去找你好吗?