Убийство на поле для гольфа

           Hearingfaintmoansissuingfromthebedroom,shewentin.Aterriblesightmethereyes.MadameBeroldylayonthefloor,boundhandandfoot,utteringfeeblemoans,havingmanagedtofreehermouthfromagag.OnthebedwasMonsieurBeroldy,lyinginapoolofblood,withaknifedriventhroughhisheart.

           MadameBeroldy’sstorywasclearenough.Suddenlyawakenedfromsleep,shehaddiscernedtwomaskedmenbendingoverher.Stiflinghercries,theyhadboundandgaggedher.TheyhadthendemandedofMonsieurBeroldythefamous“secret.”

           Buttheintrepidwinemerchantrefusedpoint-blanktoaccedetotheirrequest.Angeredbyhisrefusal,oneofthemenincontinentlystabbedhimthroughtheheart.Withthedeadman’skeys,theyhadopenedthesafeinthecorner,andhadcarriedawaywiththemamassofpapers.Bothmenwereheavilybearded,andhadwornmasks,butMadameBeroldydeclaredpositivelythattheywereRussians.

           Theaffaircreatedanimmensesensation.Itwasreferredtovariouslyas“theNihilistAtrocity,”“RevolutionariesinParis,”andthe“RussianMystery.”Timewenton,andthemysteriousbeardedmenwerenevertraced.Andthen,justaspublicinterestwasbeginningtodiedown,astartlingdevelopmentoccurred.MadameBeroldywasarrestedandchargedwiththemurderofherhusband.

           Thetrial,whenitcameon,arousedwidespreadinterest.Theyouthandbeautyoftheaccused,andhermysterioushistory,weresufficienttomakeofitacausecélèbre.Peoplerangedthemselveswildlyfororagainsttheprisoner.Butherpartisansreceivedseveralseverecheckstotheirenthusiasm.