第213章

"All these circumstances did not strike me as painfully at the time as they have since done; in fact, all that had happened (with the exception of the story of the diamond, which certainly did wear an air of improbability), appeared natural enough, and called for neither apprehension nor mistrust; but, worn out as I was with fatigue, and fully purposing to proceed onwards directly the tempest abated, Idetermined to obtain a few hours' sleep.Overhead I could accurately distinguish every movement of the jeweller, who, after making the best arrangements in his power for passing a comfortable night, threw himself on his bed, and I could hear it creak and groan beneath his weight.Insensibly my eyelids grew heavy, deep sleep stole over me, and having no suspicion of anything wrong, I sought not to shake it off.Ilooked into the kitchen once more and saw Caderousse sitting by the side of a long table upon one of the low wooden stools which in country places are frequently used instead of chairs; his back was turned towards me, so that I could not see the expression of his countenance -- neither should I have been able to do so had he been placed differently, as his head was buried between his two hands.La Carconte continued to gaze on him for some time, then shrugging her shoulders, she took her seat immediately opposite to him.At this moment the expiring embers threw up a fresh flame from the kindling of a piece of wood that lay near, and a bright light flashed over the room.La Carconte still kept her eyes fixed on her husband, but as he made no sign of changing his position, she extended her hard, bony hand, and touched him on the forehead.

"Caderousse shuddered.The woman's lips seemed to move, as though she were talking; but because she merely spoke in an undertone, or my senses were dulled by sleep, I did not catch a word she uttered.Confused sights and sounds seemed to float before me, and gradually I fell into a deep, heavy slumber.How long I had been in this unconscious state Iknow not, when I was suddenly aroused by the report of a pistol, followed by a fearful cry.Weak and tottering footsteps resounded across the chamber above me, and the next instant a dull, heavy weight seemed to fall powerless on the staircase.I had not yet fully recovered consciousness, when again I heard groans, mingled with half-stifled cries, as if from persons engaged in a deadly struggle.A cry more prolonged than the others and ending in a series of groans effectually roused me from my drowsy lethargy.Hastily raising myself on one arm, I looked around, but all was dark; and it seemed to me as if the rain must have penetrated through the flooring of the room above, for some kind of moisture appeared to fall, drop by drop, upon my forehead, and when I passed my hand across my brow, I felt that it was wet and clammy.

"To the fearful noises that had awakened me had succeeded the most perfect silence -- unbroken, save by the footsteps of a man walking about in the chamber above.The staircase creaked, he descended into the room below, approached the fire and lit a candle.The man was Caderousse -- he was pale and his shirt was all blood.Having obtained the light, he hurried up-stairs again, and once more I heard his rapid and uneasy footsteps.A moment later he came down again, holding in his hand the small shagreen case, which he opened, to assure himself it contained the diamond, -- seemed to hesitate as to which pocket he should put it in, then, as if dissatisfied with the security of either pocket, he deposited it in his red handkerchief, which he carefully rolled round his head.After this he took from his cupboard the bank-notes and gold he had put there, thrust the one into the pocket of his trousers, and the other into that of his waistcoat, hastily tied up a small bundle of linen, and rushing towards the door, disappeared in the darkness of the night.

"Then all became clear and manifest to me, and I reproached myself with what had happened, as though I myself had done the guilty deed.I fancied that I still heard faint moans, and imagining that the unfortunate jeweller might not be quite dead, I determined to go to his relief, by way of atoning in some slight degree, not for the crime I had committed, but for that which I had not endeavored to prevent.For this purpose I applied all the strength Ipossessed to force an entrance from the cramped spot in which I lay to the adjoining room.The poorly fastened boards which alone divided me from it yielded to my efforts, and I found myself in the house.Hastily snatching up the lighted candle, I hurried to the staircase; about midway a body was lying quite across the stairs.It was that of La Carconte.The pistol I had heard had doubtless been fired at her.The shot had frightfully lacerated her throat, leaving two gaping wounds from which, as well as the mouth, the blood was pouring in floods.She was stone dead.I strode past her, and ascended to the sleeping chamber, which presented an appearance of the wildest disorder.The furniture had been knocked over in the deadly struggle that had taken place there, and the sheets, to which the unfortunate jeweller had doubtless clung, were dragged across the room.The murdered man lay on the floor, his head leaning against the wall, and about him was a pool of blood which poured forth from three large wounds in his breast;there was a fourth gash, in which a long table knife was plunged up to the handle.