CHAPTER XV
THE SECRET OF THE UNKNOWN FRENCHMAN
For a moment, I stood spell-bound, staring down at that jaded andpassion-stained countenance; then Godfrey sprang forward and liftedthe unconscious woman to the couch.
"Bring some water," he said, and as he turned and looked at me, I sawthat his face was glowing with excitement.
I rushed to the door and snatched it open. Rogers was standing in thehall outside, and I sent him hurrying for the water, and turned backinto the room.
Godfrey was chafing the girl's hands, and the veiled lady was bendingover her, fumbling at the hooks of her bodice. Evidently she couldnot see them, for, with a sudden movement, she put back her veil. Myheart warmed to her at that act of sacrifice; and after a singleglance at her, I turned away my eyes.
I saw Godfrey's start of recognition as he looked down at her; thenhe, too, looked aside.
"Here's the water, sir," said Rogers, and handed me glass andpitcher.
The next instant, his eyes fell upon the woman on the couch. He stoodstaring, his face turning slowly purple; then, clutching at histhroat, he half-turned and fell, just as I had seen him do oncebefore.
Hornblower, who was staring at the unconscious woman and mopping hisface feverishly, spun around at the crash.
"Well, I'll be damned!" he said, in a hoarse voice, as he saw Rogersextended on the floor at his feet. "What's the matter with thishouse, anyway?"
So great was the tension on my nerves that I could scarcely restraina shout of laughter. I turned it into a shout for Parks; but hisface, when he appeared on the threshold, was too much for me, and Isank into a chair, laughing hysterically.
"For God's sake!" Parks began....
"It's all right," Godfrey broke in, sharply, "Rogers has had anotherfit. Get the ammonia!"
Parks staggered away, and Mr. Hornblower sat down weakly.
"I don't see the joke!" he growled, glaring at me, his face crimson.
"Get a grip of yourself, Lester," said Godfrey, savagely, seized thepitcher from my hand, and hurried with it to madame.
I _did_ get a grip of myself, and when Parks came back a moment laterwith the ammonia, was able to hold up Rogers's head, while Parksapplied the phial to his nostrils.
"Give me a whiff of it, too, Parks," I said, unsteadily, and in aninstant my eyes were streaming; but I had escaped hysteria."Straighten Rogers out and let him lie there," I gasped, and satdizzily down upon the floor. But I dared not look at Hornblower. Ifelt that another glance at his dazed countenance would send me offagain.
Madame, meanwhile, had dashed some water into the face of theunconscious Julie--much to the detriment of her complexion!--watchedher a moment, then stood erect and lowered her veil.
"She will soon be all right again," she said; and, truly enough, atthe end of a few seconds, the girl opened her eyes and looked dazedlyabout her. Then a violent trembling seized her.
"What is it, Julie?" asked her mistress, taking her hand. "You knewthis man?"
A hoarse sob was the only answer.
"You must tell me," went on madame, quietly but firmly. "Perhaps acrime has been committed. You must tell me everything. You may relyupon the discretion of these gentlemen. You knew this man?"
The girl nodded, and closed her eyes; but the hot tears brimmed fromthem and ran down over her cheeks.
"In Paris?"
The girl nodded again.
"He was your lover?"
A third nod, and a fresh flood of tears.
"I remember, now," said madame, suddenly. "I saw him with her once.What was he doing in this house?" she went on, more sternly. "Tellus!"
"Madame will never forgive me!" sobbed the girl, and I began to thinkthat she was more concerned for herself than for her lover. The samethought occurred to her mistress too, no doubt, for her voicehardened.
"Try me," she said. "Understand well, you must tell--if not here,then before an officer of the police."
"Oh, no, no!" screamed Julie, sitting suddenly erect. "Never that! Icould not bear that! Madame would not be so cruel!"
"Then tell us now!" said the veiled lady, inexorably.
"Very well, madame!" cried the girl, dabbing at her eyes with herhandkerchief, and speaking in a mixture of French and English which Ishall not attempt to transcribe. "I will tell; I will telleverything. After all, I was not to blame. It was that creature. Idid not love him--but I feared him. He possessed a power over me. Hecould make me do anything. He even beat me! And still I went back tohim!"
"What was his name?" asked the veiled lady.
"Georges Drouet--he lived in the Rue de la Huchette, just off the RueSaint Jacques--on the top floor, under the gutters. He was bad--bad;--he lived off women. I met him six months ago. He knew how tofascinate one; I thought he loved me. Then he began to borrow moneyfrom me, until he had taken all that I had saved; then my rings--every one!" She held up her hands to show their bareness."Then...."
She stopped and glanced at her mistress.
"Continue!" said the latter. "Tell what you have to tell."
"I knew that madame also...."
She stopped again. I walked over to the window and stood staring atthe wooden shutter, strangely moved.
"Well, why not?" she demanded fiercely, and I felt that she wasaddressing my turned back. "Why not? Shall a woman not be loved?Shall a woman endure what madame endured...."
"That will do, Julie," broke in the veiled lady, her voice cold asice. "Tell your story."
"I knew of the secret drawer; I had seen madame open it; I knew whatit contained. But I was faithful to madame; I loved her; I was gladthat she had found some one.... Madame will remember her despair, herhorror, when she entered her room to find the cabinet gone, takenaway, sold by that.... I, too, was in despair--I desired with mywhole soul to help madame. That night I had a rendezvous with him,"and she nodded toward the photograph which lay upon the floor. "Itold him."
Her mistress stood as though turned to stone. I could guess heranguish and humiliation.
"He questioned me--he learned everything--the drawer, how it wasopened--all. But I did not suspect what was in his mind--not for aninstant did I suspect. But on the boat I saw him, and then I knew.Well, he has got what he deserved!"
She shivered and pressed her hands against her eyes.
"I think that is all, madame," she added, hoarsely.
"It is all of that story," said Godfrey, in a crisp voice; "but thereis another."
"Another?" echoed the veiled lady, looking at him.
"Ask her, madame, for what purpose she called at this house, nightbefore last, and saw Philip Vantine in this room."
"I did not!" shrieked the girl, her face ablaze. "It is a lie!"
"She does not need to tell!" went on Godfrey inexorably. "Any foolcould guess. She came for the letters! She had resolved herself toblackmail you, madame!"
"It is a lie!" shrieked the girl again. "I came hoping to save her--to...."
A storm of angry sobbing choked her.
I could see how the veiled lady was trembling. I placed a chair forher, and she sank into it with a murmur of thanks.
"Besides, we have a witness to her visit," added Godfrey. "Shall Icall the police, madame?"
"No, no!" and the girl sat upright again, her face ghastly. "I willtell. I will tell all. Give me but a moment!"
She sat there, struggling for self-control, her streaked andgrotesque countenance contorted with emotion. Then I saw her eyeswiden, and, glancing around, I saw that Rogers had dragged himself toa sitting posture, and was staring at her, his face livid.
The sight of him seemed to madden her.
"It was you!" she shrieked, and shook her clenched fist at him. "Itwas you who told! Coward! Coward!"
But Godfrey, his face very grim, laid a heavy hand upon her arm.
"Be still!" he cried. "He told us nothing! He tried to shield you--though why he should wish to do so...."
Rogers broke in with a hollow and ghastly laugh.
/> "It was natural enough, sir," he said hoarsely. "She's my wife!"