CHAPTER XVIII. EXPLANATIONS.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 154, 15 May 1886, Page 4

CHAPTER XVIII. EXPLANATIONS.

Thbee days had passed since the catastrophe on Billy wharf. And in Paris this is a longer time than is necessary to forget any Wenfc, however strange it may be j besides that, the cause of the misfortune remained unknown. Carbonised human remains had been removed, but as no one had erer seen any inhabitants in the house on the rue Bizet, it was believed to be some chance explosion of an unknown depot of

powder ; arid there were even persons who explained the accident by affirming. that this powder had been brought there by the Prussians, when they wanted to blow up the bridge of LSna, in 1815. Oi" all the officers who took part in this drama, not one survived to recount itß details,— not one, excepting Jottrat, who, recovering from his violent shock, euceeeded in dragging himself out of the garden. But Jottrat had serious reasons for keeping silence, and that he might avoid all embarrassing questions, he had the presence of mind to go to Sartilly's house, who received him with open arms. It resulted, from the disappearance of all the accused persons in this drama, that the police itself had a very imperfect knowledge of it. The death of Miss Georgina was supposed to be a suicide, caused by a malady of the spleen, an especially English illness ; and, after a short inquest, nothing more was thought of the governess and her tragio death. As to M. de Noreff, he had ostensibly left his house in tho rue Varennes to take a long journey through Russia, and the sandy beach at Totnbelaine told no tales; and thus, after a succession of providential events, three men alone possessed the terrible secret of so many catastrophes. On a bright and joyous spring morning, these three men were sitting in the little boudoir in the i ue d Astorg, talking togethei of the past and future. The Captain, whose joyous humor had not changed, was recalling to Sartilly the sudden turns of fortune in their expedition to the bay of Mount Saint Michel. Jottrat, very pale, and witn his arm in a sling, was listenicg^o them, and at times trying to smile, bufc the deep sadness im printed on his facs would never be entirely removed, his grief being one of those thai time can never cure. "I did not lose my flay yesterday," said Chateaubrun, "and hive obtained at last the rank of brigadier for our worthy customhouse officer." " Thanks, my dear friend," eaid Sartilly, '•and I promise ycu that I have not forgotten him either ; yesterday he received the first sum of tho income I promised him." " We could not do less, for without him I think wo would have been under the waters of the bay," " Without counting that it was he whc fished up the casket. Ah, how thankful we ought to be to have eavcd our lives, and Roger's fortune !" * There is doubtless a God, who governs the world." "Ask our friend Jottrat " Jottrat answered by an expressive look, while Sartilly repeated, sadly, " Roger, — ah ! he alone is wanting to the happiness God has sent us ; but we will never see him again." •' As for me, I still hope," said Chateaubrun. Sartilly shook his head, and fell into a deep reverie. "Pardon me, sir," said Jottrat, "but is it not to-morrow your marriage contract is to be signed with Mademoiselle Jeanne de Mensignac ?" "* Yes, to-morrow, at twelve o'clock," answered Sartilly, rather surprised at the question. ''M. Calmer., the notary, is to meet me at the house ; and I hops his influence will overcome Jeanne's scruple?." " What !" cried the Captain ; •• is it not yet arranged?" " Jeanne refuses to accept the foituno brought back from Tombelaine. I have in vain showed her Roger's lotter, explaining his intentions ; she still persists in affirming that her brother is not dead !" "Mademoiselle de Mensignac is right, l; said Jottrat, gravely. Sartilly and Chateaubrun looked at him with astonishment. " I have related to you, gentlemen, thai I was near perishing in the cavern where M. de Noreff had taken me; now is the time to explain to you how I was saved. I was swimming without hope, and felt all my strength leaving me, when a violent shook took away my consciousness. On recovering from it, I found that I was lying on a straw bed, and by my side I saw a young man, who eeemed to be waiting for my restoration to consciousness. I did not know him ; but 1113 mild and sympathising face, and the first words that he spoke, restored me to hope and courage. Above my bead was an immense vault, and the lamp that lighted us scarcely penetrated through the darknes3 of a deep gallery. I was in the catacombs that go under the Trocade*ro hill and Providence had thrown me into the hands of the only man who could attach me again to life." " What ! Roger ?"' said Sartilly, breathless with emotion. " Yes, Marquis Roger de Mensignac, who, from the asylum where his enemies obliged him to hide himself, watched over his eister and friends. " Then he is living !" cried the Viscount, adding, with some hesitation, " and this murder eommit'ed in the library was not by him?" "That murder! He who committed it has expiated his crime, and I can now reveal to you the secret of the night of the 13fch of February. "The Marquis loved the si3ter of the woman who bora the name of De Noreff ; was beloved in return. She wanted to escape from the wretches with whom destiny hai connected her fate, and Roger de Meneignae thought he could find a temporary asylum for her in those caverns that he believed he alone knew the secret of. They were entered by a door hid in the wall of the libra: y,— a steel door that opened and chut by means of a secret. This secret De Noreff had found out a long time since, took advantage of it to hold out an infamous trap, and Toby was chosen to execute the crime. " While you were at the opera ball, he had time to run to the house and hide hitnftlf in a dark corner of the gallery. The two lovers arrived ; opened the door ; crossed it, and were going to shut it behind them, when Toby called out gently, 'Roger.' By an instinctive motion the unfortunate Vanda, who was behind, turned, putting her head forward. Toby touched the spring of the door, that slid laterally into its grooves. You know the rest." Sartilly could not restrain a cry of horror, while the Captain rose up, shaking his fist as if M. de Noreff had been before him. " They hoped also to murder M. de Mensignac," continued Jottrat ; " the assaeeins pursuing him with inveteracy ; and that came night De NorefFa agents searched the catacombs, going ia by a secret passage that communicated with the house on Billy wharf ; but only found there Vanda'a headless corpse. The Marquis, knowing an inaccessible place in the most distant part of these cavern?, took refuge there from the scoundrels who were hunting him, and who would have certainly murdered him if be had fallen into their hands But they had not lost hope; day and night keeping guard ; taking their rounds through the catacombs, and M. de Mensignac heard more than once their voices and steps. Buried in its hiding-place, where he had put in advance provisions in case Yanda should be obliged to spend a few days there, he could wait, and it ended by his enemies' patience being worn out. " The evening of the overflowing of the Seine, when I was thrown fainting at the entrance of a sewer, the Marquis had for the first time ventured, to leave bis asylum, _

hoping to escape from*it,*wbb^ T Pip6vi&.ehoe brought me .within reach of his ami. He might have escaped, but he chose to save me, and God will reward him for it. 11 Need I tell you any more? The book that I carried on my shoulder brought about an explanation." " But, since the way was free, why did not Roger come here to reassure his sister ?" cried Sartilly. 11 He could not, for the assassins wero prowling around us, and both were be sieged. Betides, M. de Mensignac was taken with a fever, that brought him to death's door. I could not leave him, and yet I knew that every hour's delay profited De Noreff. One day, howover, I escaped the watchfulness of my enemies, acd stole out of my hiding place with the book," "And you did not go and inform the police ?" ••The Marquis made meswear only to goto you. Iran to the rue d'Astorg, and did not meet you ; bub the state of the invalid was such that 1 could not leave him alone; therefore, I gave volume seventh to Antoine, returning with all speed to the catacombs, to which the access had become more easy by way of the sewer, the Seine having lowered, thereuntil M. de Mensignac was out of danger, when I could at last think of punishing the murderers " "But then," asked Sartilly trembling with emotion, " all the wretches being dead, Bogei has nothing mare to fear, and will come back ? ' "The Marquis de Mensignac made me swear to say nothing more than I have just told you," Jottrat said. "Well, well, I have hit upon it," cried the Captain ; "he is preparing a surprise for Mademoiselle de Meneignac, and will appear on the day of the contract, to bring about an explanation, as Jupiter does at the end of the Greek tragedies ! There is a way of paying that in Latin, but I have forgotten my classics." Jottrat smiled, without answoring, and Sartilly understood that Chateaubrun had divined rightly.