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hands。 A quiver of joy passed over him as he saw that no blood stains
were on them； the hemorrhage from his victim's body was no doubt
inward。
But all this took time。 When at last he mounted the stairs to Juana's
room he was calm and collected； and able to reflect on his position；
which resolved itself into two ideas： to leave the house； and get to
the wharves。 He did not THINK these ideas； he SAW them written in
fiery letters on the darkness。 Once at the wharves he could hide all
day； return at night for his treasure； then conceal himself； like a
rat； in the hold of some vessel and escape without any one suspecting
his whereabouts。 But to do all this； money； gold； was his first
necessity；and he did not possess one penny。
The maid brought a light to show him up。
〃Felicie；〃 he said； 〃don't you hear a noise in the street； shouts；
cries？ Go and see what it means； and come and tell me。〃
His wife； in her white dressing…gown； was sitting at a table； reading
aloud to Francisque and Juan from a Spanish Cervantes； while the boys
followed her pronunciation of the words from the text。 They all three
stopped and looked at Diard； who stood in the doorway with his hands
in his pockets； overcome； perhaps； by finding himself in this calm
scene； so softly lighted； so beautiful with the faces of his wife and
children。 It was a living picture of the Virgin between her son and
John。
〃Juana； I have something to say to you。〃
〃What has happened？〃 she asked； instantly perceiving from the livid
paleness of her husband that the misfortune she had daily expected was
upon them。
〃Oh； nothing； but I want to speak to youto you； alone。〃
And he glanced at his sons。
〃My dears； go to your room； and go to bed；〃 said Juana； 〃say your
prayers without me。〃
The boys left the room in silence； with the incurious obedience of
well…trained children。
〃My dear Juana；〃 said Diard； in a coaxing voice； 〃I left you with very
little money； and I regret it now。 Listen to me； since I relieved you
of the care of our income by giving you an allowance； have you not；
like other women； laid something by？〃
〃No；〃 replied Juana； 〃I have nothing。 In making that allowance you did
not reckon the costs of the children's education。 I don't say that to
reproach you； my friend； only to explain my want of money。 All that
you gave me went to pay masters and〃
〃Enough！〃 cried Diard； violently。 〃Thunder of heaven！ every instant is
precious！ Where are your jewels？〃
〃You know very well I have never worn any。〃
〃Then there's not a sou to be had here！〃 cried Diard； frantically。
〃Why do you shout in that way？〃 she asked。
〃Juana；〃 he replied； 〃I have killed a man。〃
Juana sprang to the door of her children's room and closed it； then
she returned。
〃Your sons must hear nothing；〃 she said。 〃With whom have you fought？〃
〃Montefiore；〃 he replied。
〃Ah！〃 she said with a sigh； 〃the only man you had the right to kill。〃
〃There were many reasons why he should die by my hand。 But I can't
lose timeMoney； money！ for God's sake； money！ I may be pursued。 We
did not fight。 II killed him。〃
〃Killed him！〃 she cried； 〃how？〃
〃Why； as one kills anything。 He stole my whole fortune and I took it
back； that's all。 Juana； now that everything is quiet you must go down
to that heap of stonesyou know the heap by the garden walland get
that money； since you haven't any in the house。〃
〃The money that you stole？〃 said Juana。
〃What does that matter to you？ Have you any money to give me？ I tell
you I must get away。 They are on my traces。〃
〃Who？〃
〃The people； the police。〃
Juana left the room； but returned immediately。
〃Here；〃 she said； holding out to him at arm's length a jewel； 〃that is
Dona Lagounia's cross。 There are four rubies in it； of great value； I
have been told。 Take it and gogo！〃
〃Felicie hasn't come back；〃 he cried； with a sudden thought。 〃Can she
have been arrested？〃
Juana laid the cross on the table； and sprang to the windows that
looked on the street。 There she saw； in the moonlight； a file of
soldiers posting themselves in deepest silence along the wall of the
house。 She turned； affecting to be calm； and said to her husband：
〃You have not a minute to lose； you must escape through the garden。
Here is the key of the little gate。〃
As a precaution she turned to the other windows； looking on the
garden。 In the shadow of the trees she saw the gleam of the silver
lace on the hats of a body of gendarmes； and she heard the distant
mutterings of a crowd of persons whom sentinels were holding back at
the end of the streets up which curiosity had drawn them。 Diard had；
in truth； been seen to enter his house by persons at their windows；
and on their information and that of the frightened maid…servant； who
was arrested； the troops and the people had blocked the two streets
which led to the house。 A dozen gendarmes； returning from the theatre；
had climbed the walls of the garden； and guarded all exit in that
direction。
〃Monsieur；〃 said Juana； 〃you cannot escape。 The whole town is here。〃
Diard ran from window to window with the useless activity of a captive
bird striking against the panes to escape。 Juana stood silent and
thoughtful。
〃Juana； dear Juana； help me！ give me； for pity's sake； some advice。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Juana； 〃I will； and I will save you。〃
〃Ah！ you are always my good angel。〃
Juana left the room and returned immediately； holding out to Diard；
with averted head； one of his own pistols。 Diard did not take it。
Juana heard the entrance of the soldiers into the courtyard； where
they laid down the body of the murdered man to confront the assassin
with the sight of it。 She turned round and saw Diard white and livid。
The man was nearly fainting； and tried to sit down。
〃Your children implore you；〃 she said； putting the pistol beneath his
hand。
〃Butmy good Juana； my little Juana； do you thinkJuana！ is it so
pressing？I want to kiss you。〃
The gendarmes were mounting the staircase。 Juana grasped the pistol；
aimed it at Diard； holding him； in spite of his cries； by the throat；
then she blew his brains out and flung the weapon on the ground。
At that instant the door was opened violently。 The public prosecutor；
followed by an examining judge； a doctor； a sheriff； and a posse of
gendarmes； all the representatives； in short； of human justice；
entered the room。
〃What do you want？〃 asked Juana。
〃Is that Monsieur Diard？〃 said the prosecutor； pointing to the dead
body bent double on the floor。
〃Yes； monsieur。〃
〃Your gown is covered with blood； madame。〃
〃Do you not see why？〃 replied Juana。
She went to the little table and sat down； taking up the volume of
Cervantes； she was pale； with a nervous agitation which she
nevertheless controlled； keeping it wholly inward。
〃Leave the room；〃 said the prosecutor to the gendarmes。
Then he signed to the examining judge and the doctor to remain。
〃Madame； under the circumstances； we can only congratulate you on the
death of your husband；〃 he said。 〃At least he has died as a soldier
should； whatever crime his passions may have led him to commit。 His
act renders negatory that of justice。 But however we may desire to
spare you at such a moment； the law requires that we should make an
exact report of all violent deaths。 You will permit us to do our
duty？〃
〃May I go and change my dress？〃 she asked； laying down the volume。
〃Yes； madame； but you must bring it back to us。 The doctor may need
it。〃
〃It would be too painful for madame to see me operate；〃 said the
doctor； understanding the suspicions of the prosecutor。 〃Messieurs；〃
he added； 〃I hope you will allow her to remain in the next room。〃
The magistrates approved the request of the merciful physician； and
Felicie was permitted to attend her mistress。 The judge and the
prosecutor talked together in a low voice。 Officers of the law are
very unfortunate in being forced to suspect all； and to imagine evil
everywhere。 By dint of supposing wicked intentions； and of
comprehending them； in order to reach the truth hidden under so many
contradictory actions； it is impossible that the exercise of their
dreadful functions should not； in the long run； dry up at their source
the generous emotions they are constrained to repress。 If the
sensibilities of the surgeon who probes into the mysteries of the
human body end by growing callous； what becomes of those of the judge
who is incessantly compelled to search the inner folds of the soul？
Martyrs to their mission； magistrates are all their lives in mourning
for their lost illusions； crime weighs no less heavily on them than on
the criminal。 An old man seated on the bench is venerable； but a young
judge makes a thoughtful person shudder。 The examining judge in this
case was young