juana-第15节

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judge　makes　a　thoughtful　person　shudder。　The　examining　judge　in　this

case　was　young；　and　he　felt　obliged　to　say　to　the　public　prosecutor；



〃Do　you　think　that　woman　was　her　husband's　accomplice？　Ought　we　to

take　her　into　custody？　Is　it　best　to　question　her？〃



The　prosecutor　replied；　with　a　careless　shrug　of　his　shoulders；



〃Montefiore　and　Diard　were　two　well…known　scoundrels。　The　maid

evidently　knew　nothing　of　the　crime。　Better　let　the　thing　rest　there。〃



The　doctor　performed　the　autopsy；　and　dictated　his　report　to　the

sheriff。　Suddenly　he　stopped；　and　hastily　entered　the　next　room。



〃Madame〃　he　said。



Juana；　who　had　removed　her　bloody　gown；　came　towards　him。



〃It　was　you；〃　he　whispered；　stooping　to　her　ear；　〃who　killed　your

husband。〃



〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　she　replied。



The　doctor　returned　and　continued　his　dictation　as　follows；



〃And；　from　the　above　assemblage　of　facts；　it　appears　evident　that　the

said　Diard　killed　himself　voluntarily　and　by　his　own　hand。〃



〃Have　you　finished？〃　he　said　to　the　sheriff　after　a　pause。



〃Yes；〃　replied　the　writer。



The　doctor　signed　the　report。　Juana；　who　had　followed　him　into　the

room；　gave　him　one　glance；　repressing　with　difficulty　the　tears　which

for　an　instant　rose　into　her　eyes　and　moistened　them。



〃Messieurs；〃　she　said　to　the　public　prosecutor　and　the　judge；　〃I　am　a

stranger　here；　and　a　Spaniard。　I　am　ignorant　of　the　laws；　and　I　know

no　one　in　Bordeaux。　I　ask　of　you　one　kindness：　enable　me　to　obtain　a

passport　for　Spain。〃



〃One　moment！〃　cried　the　examining　judge。　〃Madame；　what　has　become　of

the　money　stolen　from　the　Marquis　de　Montefiore？〃



〃Monsieur　Diard；〃　she　replied；　〃said　something　to　me　vaguely　about　a

heap　of　stones；　under　which　he　must　have　hidden　it。〃



〃Where？〃



〃In　the　street。〃



The　two　magistrates　looked　at　each　other。　Juana　made　a　noble　gesture

and　motioned　to　the　doctor。



〃Monsieur；〃　she　said　in　his　ear；　〃can　I　be　suspected　of　some　infamous

action？　I！　The　pile　of　stones　must　be　close　to　the　wall　of　my　garden。

Go　yourself；　I　implore　you。　Look；　search；　find　that　money。〃



The　doctor　went　out；　taking　with　him　the　examining　judge；　and　together

they　found　Montefiore's　treasure。



Within　two　days　Juana　had　sold　her　cross　to　pay　the　costs　of　a

journey。　On　her　way　with　her　two　children　to　take　the　diligence　which

would　carry　her　to　the　frontiers　of　Spain；　she　heard　herself　being

called　in　the　street。　Her　dying　mother　was　being　carried　to　a

hospital；　and　through　the　curtains　of　her　litter　she　had　seen　her

daughter。　Juana　made　the　bearers　enter　a　porte…cochere　that　was　near

them；　and　there　the　last　interview　between　the　mother　and　the　daughter

took　place。　Though　the　two　spoke　to　each　other　in　a　low　voice；　Juan

heard　these　parting　words；



〃Mother；　die　in　peace；　I　have　suffered　for　you　all。〃









End