Милий друг
Divorce
"
Thevoicerepeated:"Whoareyou?"
"Iamthepolicecommissioner.Open,orIwillforcethedoor."
Thevoicecontinued:"Whatdoyouwant?"
DuRoyinterrupted:"ItisI;itisuselesstotrytoescapeus."
Thefootstepsrecededandthenreturned.Georgessaid:"Ifyoudonotopen,wewillforcethedoor."
Receivingnoreplyheshookthedoorsoviolentlythattheoldlockgaveway,andtheyoungmanalmostfelloverMadeleine,whowasstandingintheantechamberinherpetticoat,herhairloosened,herfeetbare,andacandleinherhand.
Heexclaimed:"Itisshe.Wehavecaughtthem,"andherushedintotheroom.ThecommissionerturnedtoMadeleine,whohadfollowedthemthroughtherooms,inoneofwhichweretheremnantsofasupper,andlookingintohereyessaid:
"YouareMme.ClaireMadeleineduRoy,lawfulwifeofM.ProsperGeorgesduRoy,herepresent?"
Shereplied:"Yes,sir."
"Whatareyoudoinghere?"
Shemadenoreply.Theofficerrepeatedhisquestion;stillshedidnotreply.Hewaitedseveralmomentsandthensaid:"Ifyoudonotconfess,Madame,Ishallbeforcedtoinquireintothematter."
Theycouldseeaman’sformconcealedbeneaththecoversofthebed.DuRoyadvancedsoftlyanduncoveredthelividfaceofM.Laroche-Mathieu.
