Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-09-27
CHAPTER Y.
Nothing.

Standing little behind NJ. M"chinet. /
could watch Mime. Monistrol' fare az my
leisure, and detect the most triilims cx-
pressions of feeling
She seemed Ovcrw Eelmed with grief,
large tears rolled down her pn'e checks,
and yet at times f,ncicd could detect,
in the depths of her large blue Eyes, SOME
thing like CLEAN Of joy.
"Could she he guilty?' thouGh:.
And this idea, Which had atr'HGy Oc-
Cured to me, presenting. i's,.lf st''i more
Obstinatcly to my mind, ] L.;sii.y n'i-
vanced and said, hr,rGnrlH:
But you, Madame. wher w-lv ,''''I
during this fatal ,vrn' wife your
husband was goiu;; un his .ee- C"Inl.i
To Montrougc to fin,i his work mnnf"
She looked at ne with II hrwilticred
gaze, and answered, LeNtlN:
81 was h IT., M"rSicur. t. ~ ARE Wit
nesses who will prove it,"
"Witnesses"'
Yes, Monsieur. IL was so warm that
evening that | wanted snmc lice cream,
but did not care to eat il alone. So sent
my servant to invite two of my neigh
borA, Madame D':SIrirl', q e vile of the
shoemaker, whose shop ntl"ins ours, and
Madame r. unille, the ElOve-scllrr oppO-
site. The" accepted my invitation, and
stayed hele until half-lmst eleven. Ask
them: thcy will tell you so. Amid the
cruel trials to which l am subjected, this
accidental circumstance is u special favor
of Providence"
Was it AN acct ientM circumstance?
! This was the question NJ. NJ chinct and
l asked each other with Il ::ancc as rapid
as lightning.
When chance is very Intelligent,
serves IL cause APPLY, it is difficult not
to suspect it of having been II little ar
ranged.
But this was not the right moment to
reveal the depth Of our thoughts.
you have never been suspected. ma
DAME" said NJ. NJ, chinet, shamelessly.
1.-The worst that could be supposed is
that your husband told you something
| about the crime before committing it."
Monsieur, IL you knew us"
stop! Your business is not very pros.
porous. we have been told: you are embar-
| rassed."
Temporarily, yes; but"
"Your husband must have been I'M
happy and anxious about this precarious
situation. He must have grievcd espe-
cially for your sake; for you whom he
worships-you who are young and beauti-
full; for you, far more than himself, he
must have ardently desired the luxuries
and pleasures wealth procures."
|
husband is limo Nent."
NJ. Mechinet, 1ecting deeply seemed
to be filling his nose with snuff. Then he
said suddenly:
Deuce take it! Then how do you ex-
plain his confessionl An innocent man
who declares himself guilty at the bare
mention of the crime of which he is sus-
pected, is rare, madame"
A heeting blush crimsoned the young
wife's face.
For the first time her glance, till now
frank and clear, became wandering and
troubled.
81 suppose" she replied, in an indis'
tinct voice, with fresh burst of tears
~ think my husband, terrified and be
wildered at finding himself accused Of SC
great crime, lost his senses"
NJ. Mechinet shook his head.
Perhaps" said he, "a passing frenzy
might be admitted; but this morning
after a long night spent in reflection, Mon
sieur Monistrol persisted in his comics
>, sion."
II Was this trues Did my worthy neigh
! Dor invent itP or, before calling for me
had he gone to the prefecture to get the
latest intelligence
However this might be, the young wifi,
seemed on the point of faintinR; and, hid
|
INJURED:
"Merciful Heayeni my poor HUSBAND
has gone madr'
This was not my opinion. Convinced
henceforward, that was playing par
in a farce, and the young wife's despai
was only lie, / asked myself whether
for certain reasons that escaped my detec
ton, she had not determined the terrible
resolution taken by her husband; an,
whether, IL he were innocent, she did no
know the real criminalf
After addressing a few words of conI
nonplace consolation to the wife, M
Meohinet gave her to understand that sh
would Disciplinary prejudices by assisting
with good grace, in n minute exRmina
ton of her home.
She seized upon this opening with eager
ness that was evidently unfeigned.
Look gentlemen" said she; "exsmine
rummage everywhere. You win do me
service, and It won't take long. We hav
only the shop-the back shop where W
are now; our servants room in the sIxSl
.t story, And little cellar. Here are tn
keys"
To my great establishments NJ. Mechine
accepted them, and appeared to be maH