 Chapter 16 of Fontamas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Suvestre. Fontamas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Suvestre translated by Cranston Metcalf. Chapter 16 Among the Market Porters. Boulevard Rochersoir said Bertha, the young asylum nurse, to the conductor as she sprang into the tram just as it was starting. It was a September afternoon, one of the last fine days of the now fast-dying summer, and the girl had just got her fortnightly leave for 48 hours. She had gone off duty at noon and now had until noon on the next day but one to resume her own personality and shake off the anxieties that beset all those who are charged with the constant care of the insane, the most distressing kind of patients that exist. As a general rule, Bertha spent her fortnightly holidays with her old grandparents in their cottage outside Paris, but on this occasion she had elected to remain in the city, influenced there too, by the long conversation she had had with the patient confided to her particular care. Chapter 25 Madame Rambeir. Since that first talk with her on the day of Professor Swelding's visit to the asylum, she had had others and Bertha had now elaborated a plan to enable the supposed lunatic to escape and had decided to spend her short holiday in bringing the plan to a point. At the Boulevard Rochersoir, Bertha got out of the tram, looked around to get her bearings in the somewhat unfamiliar neighborhood, and then turned into the rue Cliniencourt and stood on the left-hand side of the street looking at the shops. The third one was a wine shop, only the first of many in the street. Bertha pushed the door of the establishment a little way open and looked at the rather rowdy company gathered around the zinc counter, all with flushed faces and all talking loudly. She did not venture inside, but in a clear voice asked, Is Monsieur Geoffrey here? No definite answer was forthcoming, but the men turned around, hearing her inquiry, and seeing her pretty figure began to nudge one another and jest and laugh coarsely. Come in, Missy, said one of them, but already Bertha had quickly closed the door and lightly gone on her way. A few yards further on there was another bar, and into this also Bertha peeped and once more asked, Is Monsieur Geoffrey here? Adding by way of further explanation, Hogs said, Geoffrey, I mean. This time a roar of laughter followed, and the girl fled, flushed with indignation. Yet she did not desist from her strange search, and at last, at the sixth shop, her question was answered by a deep base voice from the far end of a smoke clouded den. Hogs said, Geoffrey, here! And heaving a sigh of relief, Bertha went inside the shop. When you want to see, Monsieur Hogs said, Geoffrey, your procedure is simplicity itself, as he has no known address. All you have to do is start at the bottom of the rue Clignancourt on the left-hand side, look into every wine shop, and ask, in tones loud enough to be heard above the chatter of conversation, whether Hogs said, Geoffrey, is there, and it will be mighty bad luck if, at one or the other of the bars, you do not hear the answer, Hogs said, Geoffrey, here! Followed immediately by that gentleman's order to the patron, half a pint, please. The gentleman will pay. It is a safe order. The patron knows from past experience that she can serve the half pint without anxiety. Hogs said, Geoffrey, rapidly drains it, and then holds out a huge and hairy hand to the visitor, and inquires, well, what is it? If, as often happens, the Hogs said finds himself confronted by a stranger, he feels no surprise. He knows his own popularity, and is a modest soul. So he calls his visitor by his Christian name at once, taps him amicably on the shoulder, and calls him old boy, and invites him to stand and drink. The Hogs said, is an artist in this line. He hires himself out to public halls to announce, in his powerful voice, reinforced by a trumpet, the various items on the program, or the results of performances achieved. He also harangues the crowd on behalf of showmen, or hurls threats at two excited demonstrators at public demonstrations. Between wiles, he rolls Hogs' heads down to the cellars, or bottles wine, and even drinks it when he is among friends who have money to pay with all. At sight of Bertha, Hogs said, Geoffrey, so far departed from custom, as not to give an order to the patron at the bar. Instead, he rose and went towards the girl and unceremoniously embraced her. Ah, little sister, there you are! Why was just that moment thinking of you? He drew her to the back of the shop, towards a bunch of sturdy, square-shouldered fellows drinking there, to whom he introduced her. Now then, mates, try to behave yourselves. I'm bringing a charming little lady to see you, my sister Bertha, little Bob, Bobonette, as we called her when we lived with the old folks. The girl blushed a little uneasy at finding herself in such a mixed company. But Hogs said Geoffrey put everyone at ease. He put his great hand under Bertha's chin and tilted her head back. Don't you think she is pretty, this little sister of mine? She's the very spit of her brother. There was a general roar of laughter. The contrast between the two figures was so great that it seemed impossible there could be any relationship between them. The graceful, slender, tiny Peresienne, looking tinier still beside the huge colossus of a man, six feet high, with the chest of a bull and the shoulders of an athlete. We don't seem to be built on quite the same lines, Monsieur Geoffrey admitted, but all the same, there is a family likeness. The men made room for the girl, and after she had yielded to the general insistence and accepted a glass of white wine, Geoffrey bent forward and spoke in a lower tone. Well, what do you want with me? I want to talk to you about something which will interest you, I'm sure, bear to answer. Anything to be got out of it was the giant's next inquiry. Bear to smiled. I expect so, or I wouldn't have troubled you. Whenever there is any money to be picked up, the Hogs heads always on, he replied, especially just now when things aren't any too bright, though I may tell you I think there's going to be an alteration in that respect. Have you got a situation? Bear to asked in some surprise? Hogg said Geoffrey laid a finger on his lip. It's still a secret, he said, but there's no harm in talking it over for everybody here knows all about it. And at interminable length, with many a pause for libations, he explained that he was a candidate for his market poor group. He had been cramming for a fortnight past in order to emerge triumphantly from the examination to which candidates were always subjected, and that very morning he had sat in the Hotel de Villa wrestling with nothing less than a problem in arithmetic. In proof, he produced from his pocket a crumpled, greasy and wine stained sheet of paper scrawled all over with childish writing and figures, and showed it to his sister, immensely proud of the effect he was producing on her. A problem, he repeated. See here, two taps fill a tank at the rate of 20 liters a minute, and a third tap empties it at the rate of 1,500 liters an hour. How long will it take for the tank to get full? A friend of Geoffrey's broke in. It was Millie Benoit, his most formidable competitor for the appointment. And how long will it take for you to get full? As he passed with a great laugh, Hoggs had Geoffrey banged his fist on the table. This is a serious conversation, he said, and turned again to his sister, who wanted to know if he had succeeded in finding the answer to the problem. Maybe, he replied, I work by rule of thumb for, as you know, arithmetic and all those devil's fundaments aren't in my line. To sit for an hour, writing at a table in the great hall of the Hotel de Villa, it made me sweat more than carrying 400 weight. But the company was preparing to make a move. Time was getting on, and at six o'clock the second part of the examination, the physical test, was to be held in the fish market. Millie Benoit had paid his score already, and Hoggs had Geoffrey's different escort of friends was getting restless. There to one fresh favor in her brother's eyes, by paying for their refreshments with a 10 franc piece, and leaving the change to be placed to his credit, and then with him she left the wine shop. The annual competition for an appointment as market porter is held at the end of September. It is a great event. There are generally many candidates, but only two or three, and sometimes less, of the best are picked. The posts are few and good, for the number of porters is limited. The examination is in two parts. One purely intellectual, including of some simple problem, and a little dictation. The other physical, in which the candidates have to carry a sack of meal, weighing 300 weight, a distance of 200 yards in the shortest time. At six o'clock punctually, the market women were all in their places along the pavement by their respective stalls. The hall was decorated with flags. The salesmen and regular shopmen were provided with chairs, and their assistants were behind them, with the sweepers and criers. The backs stood three or four rows of the general public, all eager to witness the impressive display. The 200-yard course was carefully cleared, every obstacle having been scrupulously swept off the asphalt, especially pieces of orange peel, lettuce leaves, and bits of rotten vegetable matter, which might have caused the competitor to slip when trying to break the record for carrying the sack. A high official of the Hotel de Villa, and three of the senior market porters informed the jury. And there were also two officials of the Cyclist Union, expert in the use of stopwatches, armed with tested chronometers, and deputed to take the exact time of each performance. The crowd of onlookers was as odd and eclectic, and keen as can possibly be imagined. Bertha, who knew that false modesty is quite out of place in popular gatherings, mingled freely in the general conversation. Among other picturesque types, he noticed one particularly extraordinary individual who, although he was in the last row of all, overtopped the rest by quite half of his body, being perched on the antiquated tricycle, which provoked the hilarity of the mob. What ho, Bazia? Somebody called out, for the man was a well-known and popular figure, and everybody knew his name. Is that Methuselus tricycle that you have pinched? And to some of the sallies, the smile that was almost lost in his matted beard, and to others with a jest uttered in the purest dialect of Overn. Someone spoke softly in Bertha's ear, and she turned and saw a sturdy fellow of about 25, wearing a blue blouse, a red handkerchief round his neck, and a drover's cap. He was a well-built, powerful man, and in spite of his humble dress, had an intelligent face in an almost distinguished manner. Bertha responded amiably, and a few commonplace remarks were exchanged between the two. In case you care to know, my name's Juyo, said the man. And Bertha replied frankly, but without otherwise compromising herself. And I am Bob, or Bobonet, whichever you like. I am Hogshead Jeffrey's sister, she added, with a little touch of pride. A murmur ran round the crowd. Mealy Benoit was going through his trial. The great fellow came along with rapid, rhythmical step, with supple limbs and chest hunched forward. Surely balanced on his broad shoulders and the nape of his neck was an enormous sack of meal, accurately weighed to scale 300 weight. Without the least hesitation or slackening of pace, he covered the 200 yards, reaching the goal perfectly fresh and fit. He stood for a moment or two in front of the judges, displaying the mighty muscles of his naked chest, over which the perspiration was running, and eventing genuine delight in not freeing himself from his heavy burden at the earliest possible moment. The applause was enthusiastic and immediate, but silence quickly fell again and all eyes turned towards the starting post. It was Hogshead Jeffrey's turn. The giant was really a splendid sight. Instead of walking as his rival had done, he began to step like a gymnast, and the crowd yelled their delight. It seemed that he must beat his rival's time easily, but all at once the great sack on his shoulders was seen to shake, and Jeffrey almost stopped, uttering a heavy groan before he got going again. The crowd looked on in surprise, where he had just set his feet there was a wet mark upon the asphalt. Jeffrey had slipped on a piece of banana peel, but he managed to restore the equilibrium of his sack and, taught caution by the risk he had just run, he finished the course with measured steps. Two hours later, the result of the competition was announced. Hogshead Jeffrey and Millie Benoit were bracketed equal, having taken exactly the same time to cover the course. Upon the result of the written examination would depend the final issue, and the matter was all the more important because this year there was but one vacancy for a market porter. Bertha, or Bobonette, was vehemently discussing with her neighbors the mishap that had befallen Jeffrey during his trial. A man dressed in a shabby black overcoat buttoned up to the chin, and wearing a kind of jockey cap on his greasy hair, was watching her intently, seeming to agree with all she said while really interested in something else. Bertha, who was very intent upon the manner in hand, did not notice this individual's manner. It was Jullio, her faithful squire for the last two hours, who got her away. Come, he said, taking her by the sleeve. You know your brother is waiting for you, and as she yielded to his insistence, he whispered in her ear, that chap's a dirty-looking rascal. I don't think much of him. He certainly is uncommonly ugly, the girl admitted, and then, like the trained nurse that she was, she added, and did you notice his complexion? He must be ill. He is absolutely green. Chapter 17 At the St. Anthony's Pig Pay for a drink, and I'll listen to you, said Hogshead Jeffrey to his sister. After numerous visits to the many bars and drinking saloons that surrounded the markets, they had finally gone for a late supper into the St. Anthony's Pig, the most popular tavern in the neighborhood. Jeffrey having reconciled himself to waiting for the result of the examination, which would not be announced until the following day. A new and original attraction had been stationed outside the St. Anthony's Pig for the last few days. After the formal inquiries succeeding his discovery of the drowned body in the river, Buzia had come to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower. He had met with but a week's delay in his itinerary, having been locked up for that time in Orleans for some trifling misdemeanor. On entering the capital, Buzia's extraordinarily ecopage had caused quite a sensation, and as a worthy fellow with utter disregard of the heavy traffic in the city, had careered about in it through the most crowded streets, he had very soon been run in and taken to the nearest lock-up. His train had been confiscated for 48 hours, but as there was nothing really to be objected against the tramp, he had merely been requested to make himself scarce and not to do it again. Buzia did not quite know what to make of it all, but while he was towing his two carriages behind his tricycle towards the Champ de Marre, from which point he would at last be able to contemplate the Eiffel Tower, he had fallen in with the editor of the auto, to whom, in exchange for a bottle of wine at the next café, he had ingeniously confided his story. A sensational article about the globe-trotting tramp appeared in the next number of that famous sporting journal, and Buzia woke to find himself famous. The next thing that happened was that Francois Bourbon, the proprietor of the St. Anthony's Pig, shrewdly foreseeing that this original character with his remarkable equipage would furnish a singular attraction, engaged him to station himself outside the establishment from 11 to 3 every night in return for his board and lodging and a salary of five francs a day. It need not be said that Buzia had closed with the offer, but getting tired of cooling his heels on the doorstep, he had gradually taken to leaving his train on the pavement and himself going down into the basement hall, where he generously returned his five francs every night to the proprietor in exchange for a quotation to that amount. In the basement of the St. Anthony's Pig, the atmosphere was steadily getting cloudier and the noise louder. The time was about a quarter to two. The swells and the young men about town who went to have a bowl of onion soup at the popular café because that was the latest correct thing to do had withdrawn. The few pale and shabby dancers had given their show and in another ten minutes, when the wealthy customers had departed, the supper room would resume its natural appearance and everybody would be at home. Francois Bourbon had just escorted the last toffs of the narrow corkscrew staircase that led from the basement to the ground floor and now he stood, his stout person entirely filling the only exit, unctuously suggesting that perhaps somebody would like to give an order for a hot wine salad. Berto was sitting in a corner beside her brother whom the warmth of the room and his numerous potations had rendered drowsy and thinking in an opportune moment to tell him of her scheme, before he became talkative or quarrelsome, she began to explain, There is nothing much to do, but I want a strong man like you. Any barrels to roll anywhere, he inquired in a thick voice. Berto shook her head, her glance meanwhile resting mechanically on a small young man with a budding beard and a pale face, who had just taken a seat opposite her and was timidly ordering a portion of sauerkraut. I want some bars removed from a window, they are iron bars set in stone, but the stone is worn and the bars are very rusty and anybody with a little strength could wrench them out. And that's all? Jeffrey inquired suspiciously. Yes, that's all. Then I shall be very glad to help you. I suppose it will be worth something, won't it? He broke off short, noticing that a man sitting close by seemed to be listening attentively to the conversation. Berto followed his eyes and then turned the smile to her brother. That's all right, don't mind, I know that man. And in proof of the statement, she held out a friendly hand to the individual who seemed to be spying upon them. Good evening again, Monsieur Jouillot. How are you since I saw you just now? I did not notice you were here. Jouillot shook hands with her and without eventing any further interest in her, went on with the conversation he was having with his own companion, a clean-shaven fellow. Go on, Billy Tom, tell me what has happened. Well, there has been the devil to pay at the Royal Palace owing to that... accident, you know. Of course, I was not mixed up in it in any way. I'm only interpreter and I stick to my own job. But three weeks after the affair, Mueller was suddenly kicked out owing to the door having been open for the chap who worked the robbery. Mueller? Mueller, said Jouillot, seeming to be searching his memory. Who is Mueller? Why the watchman on the second floor? Oh, ah, yes, and who turned him out? I think his name is Jouv. Oh, oh, Jouillot muttered to himself. I thought as much. There was a noise at the entrance of the hall and down the corkscrew staircase came two people who, judging by the greeting they received, were very popular. Ernestine, a well-known figure, and Millie Benoit, who was very drunk. Benoit lurched from one table to another, leaning on every head and pair of shoulders that came into his way, and reached an empty seat on a lounge into which he crushed, half-squashing the pale young man with a budding beard. The lad made no protest, seeming to be afraid of his neighbor's bulk, but merely wriggled sideways and tried to give the newcomer all the room he wanted. Benoit did not seem even to notice the humble little fellow, but Ernestine took pity on him and assured him that she would look after him. All right, Sonny, she said. Millie won't squash you, and if he tries any of his games on you, Ernestine will look after you. She took his head between her two hands and kissed his forehead affectionately, ignoring Millie Benoit's angry protests. He's a dear little chap. I like him, she said to the company at large. What's your name, dearie? The boy blushed to the tips of his ears. Paul, he muttered. But Francois Bourbon, the proprietor with his usual keen eye to business, arrived just then and sat down before Millie Benoit, the famous hot-wine salad of which he had spoken before. Behind Bourbon came Bozia, who had left his turnout on the pavement and come down into the supper room to eat and drink his five francs, and more if credit could be got. Benoit caught sight of Hogg's head Jeffrey and immediately offered to clink glasses with him. He pushed a glass toward him, inviting him to dip it with the rest into the steaming bowl. But Jeffrey was warming up under the influence of alcohol and broke into a sudden flame of wrath at sight of Millie Benoit. If Benoit should be given the first place, it would be a most rank injustice he reflected, for he, Jeffrey, was most certainly the stronger man. And besides, the sturdy Hogg's head was beginning to wonder whether his rival might not have devised an odious plot against him and put the famous piece of orange peel upon the track, but for which Jeffrey would have won hands down. So Jeffrey, very drunk, offered Benoit, who was no wit more sober, the groza front of refusing to clink glasses with him. Why it's you, exclaimed Bozia, in ringing tones of such glad surprise that everybody turned round to see whom he was addressing. Julio embarrassed a look with the rest. Why it's the green man of just now, said the asylum nurse to her companion, and he assented moodily enough. Yes, it's him all right. Bozia took no notice of the attention he had provoked and did not seem to notice that the green man appeared to be anything but pleased at having been recognized. I've seen you before, I know, he went on. Where have I met you? The green man did not answer. He effected to be engrossed in a most serious conversation with a friend he had brought with him into the supper room, a shabby individual who carried a guitar. But Bozia was not to be put off, and suddenly he exclaimed, with perfect indifference to what his neighbors might think, I know, you are the tramp who was arrested with me down there in Lote, the day of the murder. You know, the murder of the Marquista Langrune. Bozia, in his excitement, had caught the green man by the sleeve, but the green man impatiently shook him off, growling angrily, well, and what about it? For some minutes now, Hogshead, Geoffrey, and Millie Benoit have been exchanging threatening glances. Geoffrey had given voice to his suspicions, and kind friends had not failed to report his words to Benoit. Inflamed with drink as they were, the two men were bound to come to blows before too long, and the woman ran through the room heralding the approaching altercation. Bertha, anxious on her brother's behalf, and a little frightened on her own, did all she could to induce Geoffrey to come away, but even though she promised to pay for any number of drinks elsewhere, he refused to budge from the bench where he was sitting, hunched up in a corner. When at length he had got rid of Bozia and his exasperating garrulity, the green man resumed his conversation with his friend with a guitar. It's rather odd that he has an atrace of accent, the latter remarked. Oh, it's nothing for a fellow like Guern to speak French like a Frenchman, said the green man in a low tone. Then he stopped nervously. Ernestine was walking about among the company, chatting to one another, and getting drinks, and he fancied that she was listening to what he said. But another dualog rose audible in another part of the room. If the gentleman would like to show his strength, there's someone ready to take him on. Hog said Jeffrey had thrown down his glove. Silence fell upon the room. It was merely Benoit's turn to answer. At that precise moment, however, Benoit was draining the salad bowl. He slowly swallowed the last of the red liquid. One can't do two things at once. Lay the bowl down empty on the table, and in thundering dignified tones demanded another, wiped his lips on the back of his sleeve, and turned his huge head toward the corner where Jeffrey was hunched up saying will the gentleman kindly repeat his last remark? Ernestine moved furtively to Gilles' side, and effecting to be interested only in the argument going on between Jeffrey and Benoit, said without looking at him, the pale man with a greenish complexion, said to the man with a guitar, it's he all right because of the burn in the palm of his hand. Gilles choked back an oath, and instinctively clenched his fist, but Ernestine already had moved on and was huskily chaffing the young man with a budding beard. Gilles sat with somber face and angry eyes, only replying in curt monosyllables to the occasional remarks of his next neighbor, Billy Tom. Marie the waitress was passing near him and he signed for her to stop. Say Marie, he said, there was no door toward the window that was behind him. What does that window open on to? The girl thought for a moment. On to the cellar, she said, this hall was in the basement. And the cellar Jullio went on, how do you get out of that? You can't, the servant answered, there's no door you have to come through here. Momentarily becoming more uneasy, Jullio scrutinized a long tunnel of a room at the extreme end there was only one means of aggress, up the narrow corkscrew staircase leading to the ground floor and at the very foot of that staircase was the table occupied by the green man and the man with the guitar. A plate aimed by Hogshead Jeffrey at Millie Benoit crashed against the opposite wall. Everyone jumped to his feet, the women screaming and the men swearing. The two market porters stood confronting one another. Hogshead Jeffrey brandishing a chair, Benoit trying to wrench the marble top from a table to serve as a weapon. The Mele became general, plates smashing on the floor and dinner things flying towards the ceiling. Suddenly a shot rang out but quickly though it had been fired the green man and the man with the guitar had seen who fired it. For the last few minutes indeed these two mysterious individuals had never taken their eyes off Jullio. Whom Bertha had supposed from his appearance to be an honest cattle drover was undoubtedly a wonderful shot. Having observed that the room was lighted by a single chandelier composed of three electric lamps and that the current was supplied by only two wires running along the cornice Jullio had taken aim at the wires and cut them clean in two with a single shot. Immediately following upon the shot the room was plunged into absolute darkness. A perfectly incredible uproar ensued men and women struggling together and shouting and trampling one another down and crockery and dinner things crashing down from the sideboards and tables onto the floor. Above the den a sudden horse cry of pain rang out help and simultaneously Bertha who was lost among the mob heard a muttered exclamation in her ear and felt two hands groping all over her body as if trying to identify her. The young nurse was the only woman in the room wearing a hat. Half swinning with terror she felt herself picked up and thrust upon a bench and then someone whispered in a venous voice you are not to help number 25 the Rambear woman to escape. Bertha was so utterly astonished that she overcame her fright sufficiently to stammer out a question but what but who? Lower still but yet more peremptorily the voice became audible again Fontamas forbid you to do it and if you disobey you die. The nurse dropped back upon the bench half fainting with fright and the row in the supper room grew worse. Three men were fighting now the green man being at grips with two at once. The green man did not seem to feel the blows rained on him but with a strength that was far beyond the ordinary he gripped hold of an arm and slid with his hands along the sleeve never letting go of the arm until he reached the wrist when wrenching open the clenched fist he slipped his fingers into the palm of the hand. A little exclamation of triumph escaped him and simultaneously the owner of the hand uttered an exclamation of pain for the green man's fingers had touched a still raw wound upon the hollow of the palm but at that instant his leg was caught between two powerful knees and his pressure more would have broken it. The green man was forced to let go of the hand he held he fell to the ground with his adversary near him and for a moment thought that he was lost but at the same moment his adversary let go of him in turn having been taken by surprise by yet a third combatant who joined in the fray and separated the first two devoting himself to a furious assault upon the man whom the green man had tried to capture. The man passed a rapid hand over the individual who had just rescued him from the fierce assault and was conscious of a shock of surprise as he identified the young man with a budding beard. Thereupon he collared him firmly by the neck and did not let him go. In the crush the combatants had been forced toward the staircase and at this narrow entrance into the hall bodies were being trampled underfoot and piercing screams rent the air. Francois Bobon had the least attempt to interfere. He knew exactly the proper procedure when trouble of this sort broke out and he had gone to the corner of the street and sent the constable on duty there to the nearest police station for help. Directly the first gendarmes arrived Francois Bobon had led them behind the counter in the shop and showed them the fire hose with a skill acquired by long practice they rapidly unrolled the pipe introduced it into the narrow mouth of the staircase turned on the tap and proceeded to drench everybody in the supper room below. The unexpected sowsing pulled the combatants up short separated all the champions and drove the howling and shrieking mob back to the far end of the room. The operation lasted for a good five minutes and when the gendarmes considered that the customers of the St. Anthony's Pig were sufficiently quieted down the sergeant through the light of a lantern which the proprietor obligingly had ready for him over the supper room and peremptorily ordered the company to come up one by one. Seeing that resistance would be futile the company obeyed as they slowly emerged at the top of the corkscrew staircase meek and subdued the gendarmes at the top arrested them slipped handcuffs on them and sent them off in couples to the station. When the sergeant assumed that everyone had come out he went down into the supper room just to make sure that nobody was still hiding there. But the room was not quite empty one unfortunate man was lying on the floor bathed in his own blood it was the man with the guitar and a knife had been driven through his breast. The couple consisting of the green man and the young man with the budding beard of whom his companion had never once let go since identifying him during the fight in the supper room were taken to the station. The clerk who was taking down the names of the prisoners with difficulty repressed an exclamation of surprise when the green man produced an identification card and whispered a few words in his ear. Released that gentleman at once said the clerk with regard to the other with regard to the other the green man broke in kindly release him too I want to keep him with me. The clerk bowed in consent and both men were immediately released from their handcuffs. The young man stared in astonishment at the individual who a minute before had been his companion in bonds and was about to thank him but the other grasped him firmly by the wrist as though to warn him of the impossibility of flight and let him out of the police station in the street they met the sergeant with a gendarme bringing in the unfortunate man with a guitar who was just breathing and in whom the officials had recognized a detective inspector. Without letting go of the youth the green man bent forward to the sergeant and had a brief but animated conversation with him Yes sir, that's all the sergeant said respectfully I haven't anyone else. The green man stamped his foot in wrath Good lord! Gern has got away Toward the room of Mark the green man rapidly dragged his companion who was trembling in every limb and utterly at a loss to guess what the figure held in store for him Suddenly the green man halted just under the light of a street lamp outside the church of Sam Justache He stood squarely in front of his prisoner and looked him full in the eyes I am Juv, he said the detective and as the young man stared at him in silent dismay Juv went on emphasizing each of the words and with a sardonic smile flickering over his face and Juv, Mademoiselle Jean Juv, our Charles Rambert Juv had spoken in a tone of command that brooked no reply His keen eyes seemed to pierce through Paul and read his inmost soul The winking light of the street lamp shed a wan halo around the lad who obviously wanted to move away from his radius but Juv held him fast Come now, answer You are Charles Rambert and you were Mademoiselle Jean Mademoiselle Jean Mademoiselle Jean Mademoiselle Jean I don't understand, Paul declared Really? Sneered Juv He hailed a passing cab Get in, he ordered briefly and pushing the lad in before him He gave an address to the driver entered the cab and shut the door Juv sat there rubbing his hands as if well pleased with his night's work For several minutes he remained silent and then turned to his companion I think it is clever to deny it, he remarked But do you imagine it isn't obvious to anyone that you are Charles Rambert and that you were disguised as Mademoiselle Jean But you were wrong, Paul insisted Charles Rambert is dead So you know that, do you Then you admit that you know whom I am talking about The lad colored and began to tremble Juv looked out the window pretending not to notice him and smiled gently on in a friendly tone But you know it's stupid to deny what can't be denied Besides, you should remember that if I know you are Charles Rambert I must know something else as well and therefore Well, yes, Paul acknowledged I am Charles Rambert and I was disguised as Mademoiselle Jean How did you know it? Why were you at the St. Anthony's Pig? Had you come to arrest me? And where are you taking me now Juv shrugged his shoulders You want to know too much, my boy Besides, you ought to know Paris and so ought to be able to guess where I told the driver to go merely by looking at the streets we are passing through That is exactly what frightens me Charles Rambert applied We are on the quays near the law courts and the police station, my son quite so Now it's quite useless to make a scene You will gain nothing by attempting to get away You are in the hands of justice or rather in my hands which is not quite the same thing so come quietly That is really good advice A few minutes later the cab stopped at the Tour Poinsu which has such melancholy associations for so many criminals Juv alighted and made his companion alight as well pay the driver and walk up the staircase to the first floor of the building It was daylight now All of them saluted Juv as he walked along with his trembling captive The detective went down one long passage turned into another and opened the door Go in there, he ordered currently Charles Rambert obeyed and found himself in a small room the nature of which he recognized immediately from the furniture it contained It was the measuring room of the anthropometric service so what he feared was about to happen Juv was going to lock him up but the detective called out in a loud tone Hector, please and one of the men who remained on duty in the department in case they were required by any of the detective inspectors to find the records of any previously convicted criminal came hurrying in I must hear Juv and with a bag too, so early you think he has been here before No, said Juv in a dry tone that put a stop to further indiscreet questions I don't want you to look up my companion's record but to take his measurements and very carefully too The man was somewhat surprised at the order for it was not usual to be asked to do such work at so very early an hour He was rather irritable too at being disturbed for the rest he was enjoying and it was very curtly that he spoke to Charles Rambert Come here please the standard first, take off your boots Charles Rambert obeyed and stood under the standard of measurement and then as the assistant ordered him he submitted to having his fingers smeared with ink so that his fingerprints might be taken to being photographed full face and in profile and finally to having the width of his head from ear to ear measured with a special pair of caliber compasses Hector was surprised by his facility I must say your friend is not very talkative Mr. Juv what has he been up to and as the detective merely shrugged his shoulders and did not reply he went on that's done sir we will develop the negatives and take the prints and recopy the measurements and the record shall be classified in the register in a couple of hours Charles Rambert grew momentarily more scared he felt that he was definitely arrested now but Juv left the arm chair in which he had been resting and coming up to him laid his hand upon his shoulder speaking a while with a certain gentleness come there are some other points as to which I wish to examine you he led him from the anthropometric room along a dark corridor and presently taking a key from his pocket opened the door and pushed the lad in before him go in there he said this is where we make the dynamometer test a layman looking around the room might almost have supposed that it was merely some carpenter's shop pieces of wood of various shapes and sizes and sorts were arranged along the wall or laid upon the floor in glass cases there were whole strips of metal five or six inches long and of varying thickness Juv closed the door carefully behind him for pity's sake Mr. Juv tell me what you are going to do with me Charles Rambert implored the detective smiled well there you ask a question which I can't answer offhand what am I going to do with you eh? that still depends upon a good many things as he spoke Juv tossed his hat aside and looking at a rather high kind of little table proceeded to remove from it a grey cloth which protected it from dust and drew it into the middle of the room this article was composed of a metal body screwed onto a strong tripod with a lower tray that moved backwards and forwards and two lateral buttresses upon a steel cross piece firmly bolted on to them above upon this framework were two dynamometers worked by an ingenious piece of mechanism Juv looked at Charles Rambert and explained this is Dr. Bertheon's effraction dynamometer I am going to make use of it to find out at once whether you are or are not deserving of some little interest I don't want to tell you more just at present Juv slipped into a specially prepared notch a thin strip of wood which he had selected with particular care from one of the heaps of materials arranged along the wall from a chest he took a tool which Charles Rambert who had had some intimate experiences of late with the light fingered community immediately recognized as a Jimmy take hold of that said Juv and as Charles took it in his hand he added now put the Jimmy into this groove and press with all your force if you can move that needle to a point which I know and which it is difficult but not impossible to reach you may congratulate yourself on being in luck stimulated by this encouragement from the detective Charles Rambert exerted all his force upon the lever only afraid that he might not be strong enough Juv stopped him very soon that's alright he said and substituting a strip of sheet iron for the strip of wood he handed another tool to the lad now try again a few seconds later Juv took a magnifying lens and closely examined both the strip of metal and the strip of wood he gave a satisfied click with his tongue and seemed to be very pleased Charles Rambert here marked I think we are going to do a very good morning's work Dr. Berthillon's new apparatus is an uncommonly useful invention the detective might have gone on with his congratulatory monologue had not an attendant come into the room at that moment ah there you are Mr. Juv I have been looking for you everywhere there is someone asking for you who says he knows you will receive him I told him this was not the proper time but he was so insistent that I promised to bring you his card besides he says you have given him an appointment Juv took the card and glanced at it that's alright he said take the gentleman into the parlor and tell him I will be with him in a minute the attendant went out and Juv looked at Charles Rambert with a smile you are played out he said before we do anything else common humanity requires that you should get some rest come follow me I will take you to a room where you can throw yourself on a sofa and get a sleep for a good hour at least while I go and see this visitor he led the lad into a small waiting room and as Charles Rambert obediently stretched himself upon the sofa Juv looked at the pale and nervous and completely silent boy and said with even greater gentleness there go to sleep sleep quietly and presently Juv left the room and called a man to whom he gave an order in a low tone stay with that gentleman please he is a friend of mine but a friend you understand I am going to see someone but I will come up again presently and Juv hurried downstairs to the parlor the visitor rose as the door opened and Juv made a formal bow Monsieur Gervais Aventine he said Monsieur Gervais Aventine that gentleman replied and you are Detective Inspector Juv I am sir the detective answered and pointing his visitor to a chair he took a seat himself in a small table littered with official documents sir Juv began I ventured to send you that pressing invitation to come to Paris today because from inquiries I had made about you I was sure that you were a man with a sense of duty who would not resent being put to an inconvenience when it was a question of cooperating in a work of justice and of truth the visitor a man of perhaps 30 of somewhat fashionable appearance manifested much surprise inquiries about me sir and pray why I must confess that I was very much astonished when I received your letter informing me that the famous Detective Inspector Juv wished to see me and at first I suspected some practical joke on consideration I decided to obey your summons without further pressing but I did not imagine that you would have made any inquiries about me how do you know me may I asked Juv smiled is it the fact he inquired instead of replying directly for like the good detective that he was intensely keen on his work he enjoyed mystifying people with whom he conversed is it the fact that your name is Jervais Aventine a civil engineer the possessor of considerable private means about to be married and that lately you made a short journey to Limoge the young man nodded and smiled your information is perfectly correct in every particular but I do not yet understand what crime of mine can have subjected me to these inquiries on your part Juv smiled again I wonder sir why you have vouchsafe no answer to the local inquiries which have been made at my instance to the advertisements which I have inserted in the papers in which I discreetly made it known that the police wanted to get into communication with all the passengers who traveled first class in the slow train from Paris to Lucan on the night of the 23rd of December last this time the young man looked anxious great Scott he exclaimed are you in the employment of my future father-in-law Juv burst into a roar of laughter first acknowledged that you did travel by that train on that night that you got into it at Vierzon where you live and where you are going to be married that you were going to Limoges to see a lady and that you did not want your fiance's family to know anything about it Gervais Aventine pulled himself together I had no idea that the official police undertook espionage of that sort he said rather dryly but it is true sir that I went to Limoges my last post before I was appointed to Vierzon to take a final farewell to a lady but since you are so accurately informed about this since you even know what train I went by a train I deliberately chose because in little places like Vierzon so much notice is taken of people who travel by the express you must also know Juv checked in with a wave of his hand a truce to jesting he said excuse me sir I was only amusing myself by observing once more how quickly decent people who have a little peccadillo on their conscience that they have been found out your love affairs do not matter to me sir I don't want to know if you have a lady friend or not the information I want from you is of a very different nature tell me simply this in what circumstances did you make that journey what carriage did you get into who traveled with you in that carriage I am asking you because sir I have every reason to believe that you traveled that night with a murderer who committed a crime of atrocity and I think you may be able to give me some interesting information the young man who had been looking grave smiled once more I would rather have that than an inquiry into my defunct love affairs well sir I got into the train at Vierzon into a first class carriage what kind of carriage one of the old fashioned corridor carriages that is to say not a corridor communicating with the other carriages a single carriage with four compartments two in the middle opening onto the corridor and two at the ends communicating with the corridor by a small door I know said juve the lavatory is in the center and the end compartments are like the ordinary non-corridor compartments except that they have only seven seats and also have the little door communicating with the narrow passage down one side of the carriage that's it I got into the smoking compartment at the end don't go too quick said juve tell me whom you saw in the various compartments let us go even further back you were on the platform waiting for the train it came in what happened then you want to be very precise Gervais Aventine remarked well when the train pulled up I looked for the first class carriage it was a few yards away from me and the corridor was alongside the platform I got into the corridor and wanted to choose my compartment I remember clearly that I went first to the rear compartment the last one in the carriage I could not get into that for the door opening into it from the corridor was locked that is correct juve nodded I know from the guard that the compartment was empty what did you do then I turned back and passing the ladies compartment in the lavatory decided to take my seat in the one next to it communicating with the corridor but luck was against me a pane of glass was broken and it was bitterly cold there so I had to fall back on the only compartment left the smoking one toward the front of the train were there many of you there I thought at first that I was going to have a fellow traveler for there was some luggage and a rug arranged on the seat but the passenger must have been in the lavatory for I didn't see him I laid down on the other seat and went to sleep when I got out of the train of Limoge and in the lavatory again for I remember quite distinctly that he was not on the opposite seat I thought at the time how easy it would have been for me to steal his luggage and walk off with his valise nobody would have seen me juve had listened intently to every word of the story he asked for one further detail with a certain anxiety in his tone tell me sir when you woke up did you have any impression that the baggage arranged on the seat opposite yours had been disturbed at all might the traveler whom you did not see have come in for a sleep while you yourself were asleep Gervais Aventine made a little gesture of uncertainty I can't answer in the affirmative Mr. Juvve I did not notice that and besides when I got into the compartment the shade was pulled down over the lamp and the curtains were drawn across the windows I hardly saw how the things were arranged and then when I got out at Limoge I was in a hurry and only thought of finding my ticket and jumping onto the platform but I do not think the other fellow did take his place while I was sleeping I did not hear a sound and yet I did not sleep at all heavily so you traveled in a first class compartment in the slow train from Paris to Lucan on the night of the 23rd of December and in that compartment there was the luggage of a traveler whom you did not see who may not have been there said Gervais Aventine and as the detective sat silent for a moment he inquired is my information too vague to be of any use to you? Juvve was wondering inwardly why the dickens at Tien Rambayre was not in that compartment when, according to the depositions of the guard, he must have been there but he said nothing of this instead he said your information is most valuable sir you have told me everything I wanted to know Gervais Aventine displayed still more surprise well, he said by way of return, Mr. Juvve tell me something which puzzles me how did you know I traveled by that train that night the detective drew out his pocketbook and from an inner pocket produced a first class ticket which he held out to the engineer that is very simple he replied here is your ticket I wanted to know exactly who everyone was who traveled in that first class compartment so I sent for all the first class tickets which were given up by passengers who left the train at different stations that is how I got yours it had been issued at Vierzon the station where you got in so I interrogated the clerk in the booking office who gave me a description of you then I sent down an inspector to Vierzon to make discreet inquiries and he got me all the information I required all that I had to do then was to write and ask you to come here today when the regrettable story of your broken relations with the lady was an ample guarantee to me that you would be punctual at the appointment End of Chapter 18 Recording by Alan Winteroud boomcoach.blogspot.com Chapter 19 of Fontamas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Souvestre This LibriVox recording is in the public domain Recording by Alan Winteroud Fontamas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Souvestre Translated by Cranston Metcalf Chapter 19 Jerome Fandor Whistling a quick step sure sign with him of a light heart Juv opened the door of the little room where he had left Charles Rambeir and looked at the sleeping lad It's a fine thing to be young he remarked to the man he had left on guard that boy plunges into the wildest adventures and shaves a scaffold by an inch and yet after one late night he sleeps as peacefully as any chancellor of the lesion d'uneur He shook the lad with a friendly hand get up lazybones it's ten o'clock high time for me to carry you off Where to the unhappy boy asked rubbing his eyes there's no doubt about inquisitiveness being your besetting sin Juv replied cryptically well we've got a quarter of an hour's drive in front of us but you're not going to prison I'm going to take you home with me Juv had taken off his collar and tie and put on an old jacket and set a great bowl of bread and milk in front of Charles Rambeir and was leisurely enjoying his own breakfast I didn't want to answer any questions just now he said because I hate talking in cabs where I have to sit by a man's side and can't see him or hear half what he says but now that we are snug and comfortable here I have no right to keep you waiting any longer and I'll give you a bit of good news snug and comfortable were the right words with which to describe Juv's private abode the detective had attained an honorable and lucrative position in his profession and exposed as he was in the course of his work to all manner of dangers and privations had compensated himself by making an entirely honest factory if not luxurious nest where he could rest after his labors when he had finished his breakfast he lighted a big cigar and sank into an easy chair crossing his hands behind his head he turned a steady gaze who was still completely puzzled and half frightened by this sudden amyability and did not know whether he was a prisoner or not I will give you a bit of good news that is the Langrune affair when you were Charles Rambeir and innocent also of the Danadoff affair when you were Mademoiselle Jean I need not say anything about the scrap last night in which you played a still more distinguished part why tell me that asked Charles Rambeir nervously of course I know I did not rob Princess Sonia Danadoff but how did you recognize me last night and how did you find out that I was Mademoiselle Jean Jules smiled and shook back a lock of hair that was falling over his eyes listen my boy do you suppose that thundering blow you dealt the excellent Henri Verbier when he was making love to Mademoiselle Jean could fail to make me determined to find out who that young lady was who had the strength of a man the illusion made Charles Rambeir most uneasy but that does not explain how you recognize me in Paul last night I did not recognize you in Henri Verbier at the hotel but I had no idea that it was you last night that's nothing said Jules with a shake of the head and you may understand once for all that when I have once looked anybody square in the face he needs to be an uncommonly clever fellow to escape me afterwards by means of any disguise you don't know how to make up but I do and that's why I took you in what makes you believe I did not rob Princess Sonia Danadoff Charles Rambeir asked after a pause I am quite aware that everything points to my having been the thief not quite everything Jules answered gently there are one or two things you don't know and I'll tell you one of them the princess was robbed by the same man who robbed Madame van den Rosen wasn't she well Madame van den Rosen was the victim of her burglary some of the furniture in her room was broken into and the tests I made this morning with a dynamometer proved to me that you are not strong enough to have caused those fractures not strong enough Charles Rambeir ejaculated no I told you at the time that your innocence would be proved if you were strong enough but I said that to prevent you from playing tricks and not putting out all your strength as a matter of fact you were compared of weakness that saved you the dynamometer tests and the figures I obtained just now proved absolutely that you are innocent of the van den Rosen robbery and consequently of the robbery from Sonia Danadoff again the lad reflected for a minute or two but you didn't know who I was when you came to the hotel did you and therefore had no suspicion that I was Charles Rambeir that's true isn't it I was supposed to be dead that was a child's job you've replied I got the anthropometric records of the body that had been buried as yours and I plan to get symmetrical photographs of you and your character of Mademoiselle Jean as I did of you today at headquarters my first job was to lay hands upon Mademoiselle Jean and I very soon found her as I expected turned into a man again and living in the most disreputable company I made any number of inquiries and when I went to the St. Anthony's pig last evening I knew that it was some unknown person who had been buried in your stead that Paul was Mademoiselle Jean and that Mademoiselle Jean was Charles Rambeir it was my intention to arrest you and to ascertain definitely by means of the dynamometer that you were innocent of the land groon and the Danadoff crimes what you tell me about the dynamometer explains how you know I am not the man who committed the robbery at the hotel but what clears me in your eyes of the land groon murderer bless my soul as you've retorted you are arguing as if you wanted to prove you were guilty well my boy it's the same story as the other the man who murdered the Marquis de Land Groon smashed things and the dynamometer has proved that you are not strong enough to have been the man and suppose I had been mad at the time Charles Rambeir said that his reputation and his tone betraying his anxiety about the answer could I have been strong enough then might I have committed those crimes without knowing anything about it but you shook his head I know you are referring to your mother and are haunted by an idea that through summereditary taint you might be a somnambulist and have done these things in your sleep come Charles Rambeir finish your breakfast and put all that out of your head to begin with you would not have been strong enough even then and in the next place there is nothing at present to show that you are mad or even that you are poor mother but I need not go on I've got some rather odd notions on that subject then Monsieur Juvre drop the Monsieur call me Juvre then if you know that I am innocent you can go and tell my father I have nothing to fear I can reappear in my own name Juvre looked at the lad with an ironical smile how you go ahead he exclaimed please understand that although I do believe you are innocent I am almost certainly the only person who does and unfortunately I have not yet got any evidence that would be sufficiently convincing and certain to put the persuasion of your guilt out of your father's head or anybody else's this is not the time for you to reappear it would simply mean that you would be arrested by a detective who knows less than I do and thrown into prison as you confidently expected to be this morning then what is to become of me what do you think of doing yourself going to see my father no no Juvre protested once more I tell you not to go it would be stupid and utterly useless wait a few days a few weeks if need be when I have put my hand on Fanta Masa's shoulder I will be the very first to take you to your father and proclaim your innocence why wait until Fanta Masa is arrested Charles Rambeir asked the mere sound of the name seeming to wake all his former enthusiasm on the subject of that famous criminal because if you are innocent of the charge brought against you it is extremely likely that Fanta Masa is the guilty party when he is laid by the heels you will be able to protest your innocence without any fear Charles Rambeir sat silent for some minutes musing on the odd chance of destiny which required him to make his own return to normal life contingent on the arrest of a mysterious criminal who was merely suspected and had never been seen nor discovered what do you advise me to do he asked presently the detective got up and began to pace the room well he began the first fact is that I am interested in you and the next is that while I was having that rough and tumble last night with that scoundrel in the supper room I thought for a minute or two that it was all up with me and your chipping in saved my life on the other hand I may be said to have saved your life now by ascertaining your innocence and preventing your arrest so we are quits in a way but you began the delicate attentions and I have only paid you back so it's up to me to start a new series and not turn you out into the street where you would inevitably get into fresh trouble so this is what I propose change your name and go and take a room somewhere get into proper clothes and then come back to me and I'll give you a letter to a friend of mine who is on one of the big evening papers you are well educated and I know you are energetic you are keen on everything connected with the police and you'll get on splendidly as a reporter you will be able to earn an honest and respectable name that way would you like to try that idea it's awfully good of you Charles Rambeir said gratefully I should love to be able to earn my living by work so much to my taste Juv cut his tank short and held out some bank notes there's some money now clear out it's high time we both got a little sleep get busy settling into rooms and in a fortnight I shall expect you to be editor of La Capitale under what name shall you introduce me to your friend Charles Rambeir asked after a little nervous pause hmmm said Juv with a smile it will have to be an alias of course yes and as it will be the name I shall write under it ought to be an easy one to remember something arresting like Fantomas said Juv chaffingly amused by the curious childishness of this lad who could take keen interest in such a trifle when he was in so critical a situation choose something not too common for the first name and something short for the other why not keep that first syllable of Fantomas oh I've got it Fondor what about Jerome Fondor Charles Rambeir murmured it over Jerome Fondor yes you are right it sounds well Juv pushed him out of the door well Jerome Fondor leave me to my slumbers and go and rig yourself out and get ready for the new life that I'm going to open up for you bewildered by the amazing adventures of which he had just been the central figure Charles Rambeir or Jerome Fondor walked down Juv's staircase wondering why should he take so much trouble about me what interest or what motive can he have and how on earth does he find out such a wonderful lot of things end of chapter 19 recording by Alan Winteroud boomcoach.blogspot.com chapter 20 of Fantomas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Souvestre this Libervox recording is in the public domain recording by Alan Winteroud Fantomas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Souvestre translated by Cranston Metcalf chapter 20 a cup of tea after the tragic death of her husband Lady Belfam whose previous life had inclined of the austere withdrew into almost complete retirement the world of gaiety and fashion knew her no more but in the world where poverty and suffering reign in hospital wards and squalid streets a tall and beautiful woman might often be seen robed all in black with distinguished bearing and eyes serene and grave distributing alms and consolations she moved it was Lady Belfam kind, good and very pitiful bent on the work of charity to which she had vowed her days yet she had not allowed herself to be crushed by sorrow after the tragedy which left her a widow she had assumed the effective control of her husband's property and held by faithful friends had carried on his interests and administered his estates spreading a halo of kindness all around her to help her in the heavy correspondence entailed by all these affairs she found three secretaries none too many a monsieur etienne rambayre's recommendation today's avernois was now one of these and the young girl was perfectly happy in her new surroundings time was helping her to forget the tragedy which had taken her grandmother from her and she enjoyed the company of the well-born, well-bred english gentleman Lady Belfam was reclining on a sofa in the great hall of her house at Nuiya it was a spacious room furnished half as a lounge and half as an office and Lady Belfam liked to receive people there a large glass-and-clothes balcony commanded a view over the garden and the boulevard Richard Wallace beyond with the Bois de Bologna beyond that again a few minutes before a footman had brought in a table and set out tea things and Lady Belfam was reading while to raise and the two english girls were chattering themselves the telephone rang and Therese answered it hello yes yes you want to know if you may call this evening the reverend oh yes you have just come from Scotland hold on a minute she turned to Lady Belfam it is Mr. William Hope and he wants to know if you will see him tonight he has just come from your place in Scotland the dear man exclaimed Lady Belfam and as Therese turned lightly to convey her permission to the clergyman waiting at the other end of the line she caught a smile on the face of one of the other girls what is the joke, Lisbeth she inquired the girl laughed brightly I think the worthy person must have smelt the tea and toast and wants to make up for the wretched dinner he got in the train you are incorrigible Lady Belfam replied Mr. Hope is above such material matters indeed he isn't Lady Belfam the girl persisted while only the other day he told Therese that all food deserve respect and esteemed directly a blessing had been asked upon it and that a badly cooked steak was a kind of sacrilege a badly cooked pheasant Therese corrected her you are both wicked little slanderers Lady Belfam protested gently and don't know the blessing a good appetite is you do Susanna don't you Susanna, a pretty Irish girl looked up from the letter she was reading and blushed oh Lady Belfam, I've been ever so much less hungry since Harry's ship sailed I don't quite see the connection Lady Belfam answered love is good nourishment for the soul but not for the body however a good appetite is nothing to be ashamed of and you ought to keep your roses for your future husband and qualify in every way to be an excellent mother of a family with lots and lots of children Elizabeth went on wickedly seven or eight daughters at the very least all of whom will marry nice young clergymen when their time comes and she stopped speaking and a light chatter died away as a footman entered and announced the Reverend William Hope who followed him immediately into the room an elderly man with a full clean shaven face and a comfortable portliness of figure Lady Belfam offered him a cordial hand I am delighted you are back she said will you take a cup of tea with us the parson made a general bow to the girls gathered about the table I got a wretched dinner in the train he began but Elizabeth interrupted him don't you think this tea smells delicious she asked the parson put out his hand to take the cup she offered him and bowed and smiled precisely what I was going to observe Miss Elizabeth and Miss Susanna turned away to hide their amusement and Lady Belfam had jointly changed the subject she moved toward her writing table Mr. Hope must have much to tell me girls and it is getting late I must get to business did you have a good journey quite as good as usual Lady Belfam the people at Scotwell Hill are very plucky and good but it will be a hard winter there is snow on the hills already have the women and children had all their woolen things oh yes, 1200 garments have been distributed according to a list drawn up by the understeward here it is and he handed a paper to Lady Belfam who passed it on to Susanna I will ask you to check the list she said to the girl and turned again to the clergyman the understeward is a good fellow but he is a rabid politician he may have omitted some families that are openly radical but I think charity should be given equally to all there is no political distinctions that is the right Christian view the clergyman said approvingly and what about the sanatorium at Glasgow Lady Belfam went on it is very nearly finished the good man answered I have got your lawyers to cut down the contractor's accounts by something like 15% which means a saving of nearly 300 pounds excellent said Lady Belfam and she turned to Therese you must add that 300 pounds to the funds of the Scottwell Hill coal charity she said they will want all of it if the winner is going to be a hard one and Therese made a note of the instructions full of admiration for Lady Belfam's simple generosity but Mr. Hope was fidgeting on his chair he seized an opportunity when Lady Belfam busy making notes had turned her deep and steady eyes away from him to say in a low tone have I your permission just to mention Lady Belfam started and her face betrayed an emotion which she bravely controlled hearing the name pronounced the three girls withdrew to the far end of the room where they began to talk among themselves Lady Belfam signified her ascent and Mr. Hope began you know dear friend this has been my first visit to Scotland since Lord Belfam's death I found your tenant still grievously upset by the tragedy that occurred nearly a year ago they have got by heart all the newspaper accounts of the mysterious circumstances attending Lord Belfam's death but those are not enough to satisfy the sympathetic curiosity of these excellent people and I was obliged to tell them over and over again in full detail all we knew I hope no scandal was gathered round his names said Lady Belfam quickly you need have no fear of that the clergyman replied in the same low tone the rumor that got about when the crime was first discovered that Lord Belfam had been surprised in an intrigue and killed in revenge has not won acceptance local opinion agrees that he was decoyed into a trap and killed by the man Gern who meant to rob him but who was either surprised or thought he was going to be and fled before he had time to take the money or the jewels from the body of the victim they know that the murderer has never been caught but they also know that there is a price on his head and they all hope the police oh forgive me for recalling all these painful memories while he had been speaking Lady Belfam's face had expressed almost every shade of emotion and distress it seemed to be drawn with pain at his concluding words but she made an effort to control herself and spoke resignedly it cannot be helped dear Mr. Hope go on but the clergyman changed the topic oh I was quite forgetting more brightly the understeward has turned out the two tillies quite on his own authority you must remember them two brothers blacksmiths who drank a great deal and paid very little and created so much scandal in the place I object to the understeward doing any such thing without referring to me first Lady Belfam exclaimed warmly man's duty is to persuade and forgive not to judge and punish kindness breeds kindness and it is pity that wins amendment why should a subordinate my understeward presumed to do what I would not permit myself to do she had sprung to her feet and was pacing excitedly about the room she had wholly dropped the impassive mask she habitually wore concealing her own personality the three girls watched her in silence the door opened anew and Silbertown came in the major domo of Lady Belfam's establishment he brought the evening letters and the girls speedily took all the envelopes and newspapers from the tray and began to sort and open them while the major domo entered into conversation with his mistress and the Reverend William Hope sees the opportunity to say good night and take his leave many of the letters were merely appeals to help in money or in kind but one long letter lives with handed to Lady Belfam she glanced at the signature ah here is news of Monsieur Etienne Rambert she exclaimed and as Therese instinctively drew near knowing that she too might hear something of what her old friend had written Lady Belfam put the letter into her hand you read it my dear and then you can tell me presently what he has to say Therese read the letter eagerly Monsieur Etienne Rambert had left Paris a week before upon a long and important journey the energetic old fellow was to make a trip in Germany first and then go from Hamburg to England where he had some business to attend on behalf of Lady Belfam with whom he was on more confidential terms than ever then he meant to sail from South Hampton and spend the winter in Columbia where he had important interest of his own to look after while Therese was reading Lady Belfam continued her conversation with her major domo I'm glad you had the part gate seen to this afternoon she said you know how nervous I am my childhood in Scotland that one was very lonely and ever since then I have had a vague terror of solitude and darkness the major domo reassured her he had no lack of self confidence there is nothing for your ladieship to be afraid of the house is perfectly safe and carefully guarded Walter the porter is a first rate watch dog and always sleeps with one eye open and I too yes I know Silberton the young widow replied to myself time to think I am not nervous thank you you may leave me now she turned to the three girls I am tired dears we won't stay up any later Lisbeth and Susanna kissed her affectionately and went away Therese lingered a moment to bring a book a Bible and placed it on a table close to Lady Belfam's chair Lady Belfam laid a hand upon her head as if in blessing and gently said good night God bless you dear child end of chapter 20 recording by Alan Winteroud boomcoach.blogspot.com chapter 21 of Fontamas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Suvestre this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Alan Winteroud Fontamas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Suvestre translated by Transtad Metcalf chapter 21 Lord Belfam's Murderer it was on the point of midnight an absolute silence rained throughout the house the Lady Belfam had not gone to bed although she had remained in the great hall where she did her work she had been unable to settle down to any occupation she had read a little and begun a letter got up and sat down and finally beginning to feel chilly she had drawn an easy chair up to the hearth where a log was just burning out and stretching out her slippers to the warmth that had fallen into a waking dream a sound caught her ear and she sat upright at first she thought it was some trick of the imagination but in another minute the noise grew louder there was a hurrying of feet and voices muffled at first but rapidly becoming louder and at last a regular uproar doors banging, glass breaking and shouts from all parts of the house Lady Belfam jumped up nervous and trembling she was just going to the window when she heard a shot and stopped dead where she stood then she rushed out into the vestibule help! she screamed what on earth is the matter and remembering the girls for whom she had assumed responsibility she called out anxiously for them Lisbeth, Therese, Susanna come to me doors upstairs were flung open and with their hair streaming over their nightdresses Therese and Susanna rushed downstairs and crouched by her side stifling moans of terror Lisbeth, where is Lisbeth Lady Belfam asked sharply at the same moment she appeared her face distorted with fright Oh Lady Belfam it is dreadful there's a man, a burglar in the garden and Walter is throttling him and they're fighting dreadfully they'll kill one another Silbertown, the major domo came rushing in just then seeing the three girls in their nightdresses as late as if to draw back but Lady Belfam called him in and demanded explanations we had just finished our rounds he answered breathlessly when we caught sight of a man hiding in the shadows a thief probably when we shouted in he ran away but we ran after him and seized him he resisted and there was a fight but we have got him and the police will take him away in a few minutes Lady Belfam listened with jaw set and hands clenched controlling her emotion how do you know he is a thief well, stammered the major domo he is very poorly dressed and besides, what was he doing in the garden? Lady Belfam was recovering her calm what excuse did he give for being there? she asked coldly we didn't give him time to invent one said the major domo we collared him almost as soon as we saw him and you know madam how tremendously powerful Walter is Walter gave him all he deserved and the major domo clenched his fists and made an expressive exhibition of the porter's reception of the stranger Lisbeth was still overcome by what she had seen oh the blood she murmured hysterically it was streaming Lady Belfam spoke angrily to the major domo I hate brutality is the man seriously hurt? I hope not you ought to have questioned me before assaulting him no one in my house has a right to use violence whom so smite with a sword shall perish by the sword the major domo hurt her in silent astonishment it was not at all what he expected to be told in view of all the circumstances Lady Belfam went on more gently I suppose I shall have to apologize to this man for your wrong and thoughtless behavior Apologize exclaimed silver down in amazement surely your ladyship will not do this surely your ladyship will not do that one must not shrink from humiliation when one has been in the wrong said Lady Belfam in the pulpit manner she affected tell Walter to come to me a few minutes later the porter a muscular giant of a man came into the room and made a clumsy bow how is it possible for anyone to get into the house at this time of night his mistress inquired coldly Walter dropped his eyes and capped nervously I hope your ladyship will forgive me I caught the fellow and as he was struggling I hid him then two of the footmen came and they were looking after him in the kitchen has he given any explanation of his presence here since you assaulted him at which I am very angry said Lady Belfam he hasn't said anything at least well I don't like to tell you please do like certainly well Walter replied overcoming his nervousness with an effort he says your ladyship is well known for your charity to everybody and he wants to see you there was a moment's pause I shall see him said Lady Belfam at last in a half stifled voice will your ladyship allow me to point out the danger of doing any such thing Silbertown exclaimed very likely the man is a lunatic or it may be a trick Lord Belfam was murdered and perhaps Lady Belfam looked intently at the major domo seemingly trying to read his thoughts then she answered slowly I will see him I will be more pitiful than you and as the major domo and the porter made a gesture of feudal protest she added preemptorily I have given my orders kindly obey when the two men had reluctantly left the room Lady Belfam turned to the three girls you had better leave me darling she said kindly but firmly run away excitement is bad for you go back to bed no I assure you I will be in no danger whatever and for a few minutes she was left alone speak said Lady Belfam in a toneless voice the major domo and the porter had led in and placed before her a man with unkempt hair and ragged beard he was dressed entirely in black and his face was tired and haggard Lady Belfam ghastly pale was leaning for support against the back of an armchair the man did not raise his eyes to her I will not speak unless we are alone he answered belly alone said Lady Belfam fighting down her emotion then is it something serious you have to tell me if you know anything of people in misfortune madam the man answered gently you know that they do not like to humiliate themselves before before those who cannot understand and he nodded toward the major domo and the porter I do know something of misfortune Lady Belfam applied in firmer tones and I will hear you alone she looked at her two servants leave us please the major domo started leave you alone with him it's madness the woman merely looked at him in haughty surprise he began to withdraw in confusion but still protesting it's it your ladyship has no idea what this fellow wants to please but Lady Belfam curtly cut him short that is enough a heavy velvet curtain fell over the closing door and in the room that was dimly lighted by a small electric lamp Lady Belfam was alone with a strange individual she had so readily so oddly consented to accord a private interview she followed her servants to the door and locked it after them then with a sudden movement she sprang toward the man who was standing motionless in the middle of the room following her with his eyes and flung herself into his arms oh gurn my darling my darling she cried I love you I love you darling she looked up at him and saw blood upon his forehead good god the brutes have hurt you what pain you must be in give me your eyes your lips with kisses from her own lips she staunched the blood that was trickling down his cheeks and with her finger she smoothed his hair I am so happy she murmured and broke off again but are you mad why come here like this and let yourself be caught and tortured so moodley gurn answered returning kiss for kiss time has been so long without you and this evening I was prowling around and saw a light I thought that everyone would be asleep except you of course and so I came straight to you over walls and gates drawn to you like a moth to a candle and that is all with shining eyes and heaving breast lady bell them clung to her lover I love you so how brave you are yes I am holy only yours but this is madness and horror without my knowing gurn seemed to be hypnotized by the fierce and passionate love of this great lady I never gave that a thought he murmured I only thought of you silence fell upon these tragic lovers as they stood reading love in one another's eyes and recalling memories common to both utterly unlike as they were to outward seeming yet linked by the strongest bond of all the bond of love what happy hours who lived together out there lady bell them whispered her thoughts had wandered to the far trans vol and the battlefield where first she had set eyes on gurn the sergeant of artillery with powder black and face and then to the homered voyage on the mighty steamer that bore them across the blue sea toward the dull white cliffs of England gurn's thoughts followed hers out there yes and then on that vast ocean on the ship homer bound the quiet and peace of it all and our meetings every day our long long talks and longer silences in the clear starlight of those tropical skies who were learning to know each other who were learning to love each other she said and then London and Paris and all the fever of life threatening our love but that is the strongest thing in the world and do you remember oh the ecstasy of it all but do you remember too what you did for me through me 13 months ago she had risen with white lips and haggard eyes held gurn's hands within her own in an even tighter grip emotion choked her further utterance yes I remember gurn went on slowly it was in our little room in the rule of air and I was on my knees beside you and the door opened quietly and there stood Lord Belfam mad with rage and jealousy I don't know what happened then Lady Belfam whispered in a hopeless undertone drooping her head again I do muttered gurn his eyes sought you and a pistol was pointed at your heart he would have fired but I sprang and struck him down and then I strangled him Lady Belfam's eyes were fixed on the man's hands that she still held between her own and I saw the muscles in these hands swell up beneath the skin as they tightened on his throat he killed him grown the man but Lady Belfam swept by a surge of passion sprang up and sought his lips oh gurn she sobbed my darling listen said gurn harshly after a pause of anxious silence I had to see you tonight for who knows if tomorrow Lady Belfam shrank at the words but gurn went on unheeding the police are after me of course I have made myself almost unrecognizable Christ just lately I have been very nearly caught do you think the police have any accurate idea of what happened Lady Belfam asked abruptly no said gurn after a moment's hesitation they think I killed him with the mallet they have not found out that I had to strangle him as far as I know they found no marks of my hands on his throat at all events they could not have been clear for the collar you understand the man spoke of his crime the police sign of remorse or impugnance now his only dread was lest he should be caught but nonetheless they have identified me that detective Zhuv is very clever we did not have enough presence of mind Lady Belfam said despairingly we ought to have led them to suspect someone else have made them think that it was say Fontamas not that said gurn nervously don't talk about Fontamas we did all we could I should escape them I had better get away across the channel across the Atlantic anywhere but would you come too Lady Belfam did not hesitate she flung her arms around the neck of the man who had murdered her own husband and yielded to a paroxysm of wild passion you know that I am yours wherever you may go shall it be tomorrow we can meet you know where and arrange everything for your flight he said gurn with reproachful emphasis on the pronoun for our flight she replied and gurn smiled again then that is settled he said I have seen you and I am happy goodbye he made a step towards the door but Lady Belfam stayed in gently wait she said Walter shall let you out of the house do not say anything I will explain I will invent some story to satisfy the servants as to your coming here to justify your being allowed to go they clung to one another in a parting caress Lady Belfam tore herself away till tomorrow she whispered she stole to the door and unlocked it noiselessly then crossed the room and rang the bell placed near the fireplace resuming her impassive mask and the haughty air and attitude of cold indifference that were in such utter contrast to her real character she waited while the servants stood upright and still in the middle of the room Walter the porter came in take that man to the door and let no harm be done to him said Lady Belfam proudly and authoritatively he is free without a word or sign or glance gurn went out of the room and Walter followed behind him to obey his mistress's command once more alone in the great hall Lady Belfam waited nervously to hear the sound of the park gate closing behind gurn she did not dare go on to the balcony to follow her departing lover with her eyes so shaken by her recent emotions she stood waiting and listening in an agony to know that he was safe then of a sudden the noise that she had heard an hour before broke on her ears again the noise of hurrying feet and broken shouts and words vague at first but rapidly growing clearer she crouched forward listening filled with a horrible fear her hand laid upon her scarcely beating heart there he is hold him someone shouted that's him all right look out constable this way inspector yes it's him it's gurn would you paler than death Lady Belfam cowered down upon a sofa good god good god she moaned what are they doing to him the uproar in the garden decreased then voices sounded in the corridor Silvertown's exclamations rising above the frightened cries of the three young girls gurn arrested the man who murdered Lord Belfam Lisbeth called out in anxious terror but Lady Belfam dear god perhaps he has murdered her too the door was flung open and the girls rushed in Lady Belfam by a tremendous effort of will had risen to her feet and was standing by the end of the sofa Lady Belfam alive yes yes and Therese and Lisbeth and Susanna rushed sobbing to her and smothered her with caresses but the agonized woman motioned them away with hard eyes and set mouth she moved toward the window straining her ears to listen from the park outside gurn's voice rang distinctly the lover wished to let his mistress know what had happened and to take a last farewell I am caught I am caught yes I am gurn and I am caught the fatal words were still ringing in Lady Belfam's ears when the major domo, Silbertown came bursting into the room with radiant face and shining eyes and smiling lips and hurried to his mistress I thought as much he exclaimed excitedly it was the villain alright I recognized him from the description in spite of his beard I informed the police as a matter of fact they have been watching for the last two days just fancy your ladieship a detective was shadowing gurn and when he was going out of the house I gave him the signal Lady Belfam stared at the major domo in mute horror yes she muttered on the point of swooning I pointed him out to the police and it's thanks to me your ladieship that gurn the murderer has been arrested at last for just another moment Lady Belfam stared at the man who gave her those appalling tidings seemed to strive to utter something then fell prone to the floor unconscious the major domo and the girl sprang to her side to lavish attentions upon her at that moment the door was pushed a little way open and the figure of Zhuh appeared may I come in said he end of chapter 21 recording by Alan Winteroud boomcoach.blogspot.com chapter 22 of Fontamas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Souvestre this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Alan Winteroud Fontamas by Marcella Lane and Pierre Souvestre translated by Cranston Metcalf chapter 22 the scrap of paper it was three o'clock when Zhuh arrived at the rule of air and he found the concierge of number 147 just finishing her coffee amazed at the results achieved by the detective the details of which she had learned from the sensational articles in the daily paper she most affected Madame Delonc had to concede a most respectful admiration for the inspector of the criminal investigation department that man she constantly exclaimed Madame Aurora it isn't eyes he has in his head it's telescopes magnifying glasses he sees everything in a minute even when it isn't there she gave him an admiring good afternoon inspector as he came into her lodge and going to a board on which numbers of keys were hanging took one down and handed it to him so there's something fresh today she said I've just seen in the paper that Monsieur Guern has been arrested so it was my lodger who did it what a dreadful man who ever would have thought it it turns my blood cold to think of him Zhuh was never a man for general conversation and he was still less interested in the garrulity of this loquacious creature he took the key and cut short her remarks by walking to the door yes Guern has been arrested he said shortly but he has made no confession so nothing is known for certain yet please go on with your work exactly as though I were not in the house Madame Delonc it was his usual phrase in a constant disappointment to the concierge who would have asked nothing better than to go upstairs with the detective and watch him at his wonderful work Zhuh went up the five floors to the flat formerly occupied by Guern reflecting somewhat mootily of course Guern's arrest was a success and it was satisfactory to have the scoundrel underlocking key but in point of fact Zhuh would learn nothing new in consequence of the arrest and he was obsessed with the idea that the murder of Lord Beltham was an altogether exceptional crime he did not yet know why Guern had killed Lord Beltham and he did not even know exactly who Guern himself was all he could declare was that the murder had been planned and carried out with marvelous audacity and skill and that was not enough Zhuh led himself into the flat and closed the door carefully behind him the rooms were in disorder the result of the searches was affected by the police the rent had not been paid for some time and as no friend or relation had come forward to assume control of Guern's interests the furniture and ornaments of the little flat were to be sold by auction the detective walked through the rooms then flung himself into an armchair he did not know precisely why he had come he had searched the place a dozen times already since the discovery of the corpse within the trunk he found nothing more no telltale marks or fresh detail to assist in the elucidation of the mystery he would have given very much to be able to identify Guern with some other of the many criminals who had passed through his hands and still more to be able to identify him with that one most mysterious criminal whose fearful deeds had shocked the world so greatly somehow the particular way in which this murder was committed the very audacity of it to think to sense almost to swear that Juv got up it was little in accord with his act of temperament to sit still once more he went around the flat the kitchen let me see I had been through everything the stove the cupboard the sauce pans I went so far as to make sure there was no poison in them though it seemed a wild idea the answer room nothing there the umbrella stand was empty and the one interesting thing I did see the torn curtain has been described and photographed officially he went back to the dining room I searched all the furniture and I went through all the parcels Guern had done up before he left and would no doubt have come back for it his leisure had it not been from my discovery of the body and the unfortunate publicity the newspapers gave to that fact in one corner of the room was a heap of old newspapers crumpled and torn and thrown down in disorder Juv kicked them aside I've looked through all that even read the agony columns but there was nothing there he went into the bedroom and contemplated the bed that the concierge had stripped the chairs set one on top of another in a corner and the wardrobe that stood empty its former contents scattered on the floor by the police during their search there too nothing was to be found against the wall near the fireplace was a little escutoire with a cupboard above it containing a few battered books my men have been all through that Juv muttered it's most unlikely that they missed anything but perhaps I had better see he sat down before it and began methodically to sort the scattered papers with quick trained glance he'd scanned each document putting one after another aside with a grimace expressive of disappointment almost the last document he picked up was a long sheet of parchment and as he unfolded it an exclamation escaped his lips it was an official notice of Gern's promotion to the rank of sergeant when fighting under Lord Belfin in the South African war Juv read it through he knew English well and laid it down with a gesture of discouragement it is extraordinary he muttered that seems to be perfectly authentic it is authentic and it proves that this fellow was a decent fellow and a brave soldier once that is a fine record of service he drummed his fingers on the desk and spoke aloud is Gern really Gern then and have I been mistaken from start to finish in the little romance I have been weaving around him how am I to find the key to the mystery how am I to prove the truth of what I feel to be so very close to me but which eludes me every time just as I seem to be about to grasp it he went on with his search and then looking at the bookcase took the volumes out and holding each by its two covers shook it to make sure that no papers were hidden among the leaves but all in vain he did the same with a large railway timetable and several shipping calendars the odd thing is he thought that all these timetables go to prove that Gern really was the commercial traveler he professed to be it's exactly things such as these one would expect to find in the possession of a man who traveled much and always had to be referring to the dates of sailing to distant parts of the world in the bookcase was a box made to represent a bound book and containing a collection of ordinance maps Juv took them out to make sure that no loose papers were included among them and one by one unfolded every map then a sharp exclamation burst from his lips good lord now there in his surprise he sprang up so abruptly that he pushed back his chair and overturned it his excitement was so great that his hands were shaking as he carefully spread out upon the desk one of the ordinance maps he had taken from the case it's the map of the central district all right the map which shows Cahor and Brieve and Saint-Jouer and Bolieu and the missing piece it is the missing piece that would give that precise district Juv stared at the map with hypnotized gaze for a piece had been cut out of it cut out with a pen knife neatly and carefully and that piece must have shown the exact district where the chateau stood which had been occupied by the Marquis de Langrune oh if I could only prove it prove that the piece missing from this map this map belonging to Guern is really and truly the piece I found near Verrier station just after the murder of the Marquis de Langrune what a triumph that would be what a damning proof what astounding consequence of this discovery of mine might have Juv made a careful note of the number of the map quickly and nervously folded it up again and prepared to leave the flat he had made but a step or two towards the door when a sharp ring at the bell made him jump the deuce he exclaimed softly who can be coming to ring Guern up when everybody in Paris knows he has been arrested and he felt mechanically in his pocket to make sure that his revolver was there then he smiled what a fool I am of course it is only Madame de Long wondering why I am staying here so long he strode to the door flung it wide open and then recoiled with astonishment you he exclaimed surveying the caller from top to toe you Charles Rambeir or I should say Jerome Fandor now what the deuce does this mean End of Chapter 22 Recording by Alan Winteroud boomcoach.blogspot.com