天锡小说网

第25部分（第1页）

〃You　have　e　into　a　lot　of　money；　Monsieur。〃

〃What　the　devil　has　that　got　to　do　with　you？〃

The　te　drew　himself　up。

〃Monsieur；　my　name　is　tarnished！　I　am　suspected　…　accused　…　of　foul　crime。〃

〃The　accusation　does　not　e　from　me；〃　said　Derek　coldly；　〃as　an　interested　party　I　have　not　expressed　any　opinion。〃

〃I　am　innocent；〃　said　the　te；　〃I　swear　before　heaven　…〃　he　raised　his　hand　to　heaven　…　〃that　I　am　innocent。〃

〃M。　Carrege　is；　I　believe；　the　Juge　dInstruction　in　charge　of　the　case；〃　hinted　Derek　politely。

The　te　took　no　notice。

〃Not　only　am　I　unjustly　suspected　of　a　crime　that　I　did　not　mit；　but　I　am　also　in　serious　need　of　money。〃

He　coughed　softly　and　suggestively。

Derek　rose　to　his　feet。

〃I　was　waiting　for　that；〃　he　said　softly；　〃you　blackmailing　brute！　I　will　not　give　you　a　penny。　My　wife　is　dead；　and　no　scandal　that　you　can　make　can　touch　her　now。　She　wrote　you　foolish　letters；　I　dare　say。　If　I　were　to　buy　them　from　you　for　a　round　sum　at　this　minute；　I　am　pretty　certain　that　you　would　manage　to　keep　one　or　two　back；　and　I　will　tell　you　this；　M。　de　la　Roche；　blackmailing　is　an　ugly　word　both　in　England　and　in　France。　That　is　my　answer　to　you。　Good　afternoon。〃

〃One　moment　…〃　the　te　stretched　out　a　hand　as　Derek　was　turning　to　leave　the　room。　〃You　are　mistaken；　Monsieur。　You　are　pletely　mistaken。　I　am；　I　hope；　a　gentleman。〃

Derek　laughed。

〃Any　letters　that　a　lady　might　write　to　me　I　should　hold　sacred。〃　He　flung　back　his　head　with　a　beautiful　air　of　nobility。　〃The　proposition　that　I　was　putting　before　you　was　of　quite　a　different　nature。　I　am；　as　I　said；　extremely　short　of　money；　and　my　conscience　might　impel　me　to　go　to　the　police　with　certain　information。〃

Derek　came　slowly　back　into　the　room。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

The　tes　agreeable　smile　flashed　forth　once　more。

〃Surely　it　is　not　necessary　to　go　into　details；〃　he　purred。　〃Seek　whom　the　crime　benefits；　they　say；　dont　they？　As　I　said　just　now；　you　have　e　into　a　lot　of　money　lately。〃

Derek　laughed。

〃If　that　is　all　…〃　he　said　contemptuously。

But　the　te　was　shaking　his　head。　〃But　it　is　not　all；　my　dear　sir。　I　should　not　e　to　you　unless　I　had　much　more　precise　and　detailed　information　than　that。　It　is　not　agreeable；　Monsieur；　to　be　arrested　and　tried　for　murder。〃

Derek　came　close　up　to　him。　His　face　expressed　such　furious　anger　that　involuntarily　the　te　drew　back　a　pace　or　two。

〃Are　you　threatening　me？〃　the　young　man　demanded　angrily。

〃You　shall　hear　nothing　more　of　the　matter；〃　the　te　assured　him。

〃Of　all　the　colossal　bluffs　that　I　have　ever　struck　…〃

The　te　raised　a　white　hand。

〃You　are　wrong。　It　is　not　a　bluff。　To　convince　you　I　will　tell　you　this。　My　information　was　obtained　from　a　certain　lady。　It　is　she　who　holds　the　irrefutable　proof　that　you　mitted　the　murder。〃

〃She？　Who？〃

〃Mademoiselle　Mirelle。〃

Derek　drew　back　as　though　struck。

〃Mirelle；〃　he　muttered。

The　te　was　quick　to　press　what　he　took　to　be　his　advantage。

〃A　bagatelle　of　one　hundred　thousand　francs；〃　he　said。　〃I　ask　no　more。〃

〃Eh？〃　said　Derek　absently。

〃I　was　saying；　Monsieur；　that　a　bagatelle　of　one　hundred　thousand　francs　would　satisfy　my　…　conscience。〃

Derek　seemed　to　recollect　himself。　He　looked　earnestly　at　the　te。