The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-05-09
CHAPTER VII.
sHAKEsPEARE's WORKS, VOL. VIII.

IWO OuScS, UclOISluS lO Tie
same old time period as the house
itself, stood at the extreme right
and left Of the low wall that sepa-
rated the front courtyard from the
Place du Palais- Bourbon. These
lodges were joined to the main
building, situated at the back of
the courtyard, by a series of out
houses. On one side were the
coach stables, stables, harness
rooms, and garage, with the por-
ter's lodge at the end on the other
side, the wash houses, kitchens and
offices, ending in the lodge occu-
pied by Mile. Levasseur.
This lodge had only a ground
floor, consisting of a dark entrance
hall and one large room, most of
which served as a sitting room,
while the rest, arranged. as a bed
room, was really only a sort Of al
cove. A curtain hid the bed and
wash hand stand. There were two
windows looking out on the Place
du Falais-B Bourbon.
It was the first time that Don
Luis had set foot in Mile. Levas-
seur's room. Engrossed though he
was with other matters, he felt it's
charm. 1t was very simply fur
nished: some old mahogany chairs
and armchairs, a plain, empire
writing table, a round table with
one heavy, massive leg, and some
book shelves. But the bright color
of the linen curtains enlivened the
room. On the walls hung repro
auctions Of famous pictures, draw
ings of sunny buildings and land
scapes, Italian villas, Sicilian
temples.
The girl remained standing. She
had resumed her composure, and
her face had taken on the enigmat-
ical expression so difficult to faith.
ON, especially as she had assumed
a deliberate air of detection, which
Perenna guessed was intended to
hide her excitement and alertness,
together with the tumultuous feel
3ngs which even she had great diff
ficulty in controlling.
Her eyes looked neither timor-
our nor defiant. 1t really seemed
as though she had nothing to fear
from the explanation.
Don Luis kept silent for some
little time. 1t was strange and it
annoyed him to feel it, but he ex-
perienced a certain embarrassment
In the presence Of this woman,
against whom he was inwardly
bringing the most serious charges.
And, not daring to put them into
words, not daring to say plainly
what he thought, he began:
"You know what happened in
this house this morning9"
"This morning2"
Eyes, when | had finished
speaking on the telephone"
81 know now. / heard it from
the servants, from the butler"
mot before?"
"IIow could / have know ear
licrY"
She was lying. 1t was impossi-
bic that she should be speaking the
truth. And yet in what a calm
voice she had replied!
He went on:
Il will tell you, in a few words,
what happened. | was leaving the
telephone box, when the iron cur
Tain, concealed in the upper part
Of the wall, fell in front of me.
After making sure hat there was
nothing to be done, | simply re-
solved, as ! had the telephone by
me, to call in the assistance Of one
Of my friends. / rang up Major
d'Astrignac. He came at once and,
with the help of the butler; let me
out. Is that what you heard?"
Eyes, monsieur. | had gone to
my room, which explains why J
knew nothing Of the incident or of
Major d'Astrignac's visit
Very well. 1t appears, how
ever, from what ] learned when ]
was released, that the butler and,
for tha: matter, everybody in the
house, Including yourself, knew Of
the existence Of that iron curtain"
Certainly"
And how did you know it2"
Through Baron Malonyi. lie
told gle that, during the revolu-
ton, his great grandmother, on
the mothers side, who then Occu-
pied this house and whose husband
was guillotined, remained hidden
in that recess for 13 months. At
that time the curtain was covered
with woodwork similar to that Of
the room"
Its a pity that | wasn't in