Убийство на поле для гольфа
25. An Unexpected Dénouement
“Withoutdoubt,withoutdoubt—theyarealwaysinnocent,ourprisoners!Byyourownmouthyouarecondemned.Youcanoffernodefence,noalibi—onlyamereassertionwhichwouldnotdeceiveababe!—thatyouarenotguilty.Youkilledyourfather,Renauld—cruelandcowardlymurder—forthesakeofmoneywhichyoubelievedwouldcometoyouathisdeath.Yourmotherwasanaccessoryafterthefact.Doubtless,inviewofthefactthatsheactedasamother,thecourtswillextendanindulgencetoherthattheywillnotaccordtoyou.Andrightlyso!Yourcrimewasahorribleone—tobeheldinabhorrencebygodsandmen!”M.Hautetwasenjoyinghimself,workinguphisperiod,steepedinthesolemnityofthemoment,andhisownroleasrepresentativeofjustice.“Youkilled—andyoumustpaytheconsequencesofyouraction.Ispeaktoyou,notasaman,butasJustice,eternalJustice,which—”
M.Hautetwasinterrupted—tohisintenseannoyance.Thedoorwaspushedopen.
“M.lejuge,M.lejuge,”stammeredtheattendant,“thereisaladywhosays—whosays—”
“Whosayswhat?”criedthejustlyincensedmagistrate.“Thisishighlyirregular.Iforbidit—Iabsolutelyforbidit.”
Butaslenderfigurepushedthestammeringgendarmeaside.Dressedallinblack,withalongveilthathidherface,sheadvancedintotheroom.
Myheartgaveasickeningthrob.Shehadcomethen!Allmyeffortswereinvain.YetIcouldnotbutadmirethecouragethathadledhertotakethisstepsounfalteringly.
Sheraisedherveil—andIgasped
