Weapons were within reach, and they fought, with the result that
Raymond was wounded twice, in quick succession, and fell. His
adversary, supposing him dead, thereupon fled from the spot,
taking Mademoiselle Hermine with him."
At this point in her narrative Madame Vantrasson evinced a desire
to pause and draw a breath, and perhaps partake of some slight
refreshment; but M. Fortunat was impatient. The woman's husband
might return at any moment. "And, after that?" he inquired.
"After that--well--M. Raymond recovered, and in about three
months' time he was out again; but the parents, who were old
folks, had received their death-blow. They never rallied from the
shock. Perhaps they felt that it was their own hard-heartedness
and obstinacy that had caused their daughter's ruin--and remorse
is hard to bear. They waned perceptibly from day to day, and
during the following year they were borne to the cemetery within
two months of each other."
From the spurious clerk's demeanor it was easy to see that he had
ceased thinking about his omnibus, and his hostess felt both
reassured and flattered. "And Mademoiselle Hermine?" he inquired,
eagerly.
"Alas! monsieur, no one ever knew where she went, or what became
of her."
"Didn't they try to find her?"
"They searched for her everywhere, for I don't know how long; all
the ablest detectives in France and in foreign countries tried to
find her, but not one of them succeeded in discovering the
slightest trace of her whereabouts.
Pages:
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70