'
An admirable actor this man, not a feature of his face moved, not a
single deviation from the calmness of his speech--not a quickening
of the pulse, nor the rush of betraying blood to his fair face--no!
Madame withdrew her eyes quite satisfied, M. Vandeloup was the soul
of honour and was innocent of Kitty's disgrace.
'Thank God!' she said, reverently, as she looked away, for she would
have been bitterly disappointed to have found her kindness to this
man repaid by base treachery towards her friend; 'I cannot tell you
how relieved I feel.'
M. Vandeloup withdrew his face into the darkness, and smiled in a
devilish manner to himself. How these women believed--was there any
lie too big for the sex to swallow? Evidently not--at least, so he
thought. But now that Kitty was disposed of, he had to attend to his
own private affairs, and put his hand in his pocket for the letter.
'I wanted to speak to you on business, Madame,' he said, taking out
the letter; 'the long-expected has come at last.'
'You have heard from Paris?' asked Madame, in an eager voice.
'I have,' answered the Frenchman, calmly; 'I have now the letter in
my hand, and as soon as Mlle Selina brings in the lights I will show
it to you.'
At this moment, as if in answer to his request, Selina appeared with
the lamp, which she had lighted in the kitchen and now brought in to
place on the table.
Pages:
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216