He goes to the
house of Adele Blondet at half-past twelve o'clock--the hour now,'
he said, rapidly swinging round and pointing to the clock on the
mantelpiece, which had just struck the half-hour; 'he found them at
supper,' releasing Meddlechip's wrist and crossing to the sofa; 'he
sat opposite Kestrike, as he does now,' leaning forward and glaring
at Meddlechip, who shrank back in his chair. 'Adele, at the head of
the table, laughs and smiles; she looks at her old lover and sees
murder in his face; she is ill and retires to her room. Kestrike
follows her to see what is the matter. Braulard is left alone; he
produces a bottle and pours its contents into a cup of coffee,
waiting for Adele. Kestrike returns, saying Adele is ill; she wants
a drink. He takes her the poisoned cup of coffee; she drinks it and
falls'--with a long breath--'asleep. Kestrike returns to the room,
asks Braulard to leave the house. Braulard refuses. Kestrike is
afraid, and would leave himself; he rises from the table; so does
Braulard;'--here Gaston rose and crossed to Meddlechip, who was also
on his feet--'he goes to Kestrike, seizes his wrist, thus--drags him
to the bedroom, and there on the bed lies Adele Blonde--dead--killed
by the poison of one lover given her by the other--and the murderers
look at one another--thus.'
Meddlechip wrenched his hand from Vandeloup's iron grip and fell
back ghastly white in his chair, with a strangled cry, while the
Frenchman stood over him with eyes gleaming with hatred.
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