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rattle of the curtain rings pulled violently along the rods。 He sat up
in bed； in the mechanical trepidation which we all feel on waking with
such a start。 He saw standing before him a Spaniard wrapped in a
cloak； who fixed on him the same burning gaze that he had seen through
the bushes。
〃Bega shouted out； 'Help； help； come at once； friends！' But the
Spaniard answered his cry of distress with a bitter laugh。'Opium
grows for all！' said he。
〃Having thus pronounced sentence as it were； the stranger pointed to
the three other men sleeping soundly； took from under his cloak the
arm of a woman； freshly amputated； and held it out to Bega； pointing
to a mole like that he had so rashly described。 'Is it the same？' he
asked。 By the light of the lantern the man had set on the bed； Bega
recognized the arm； and his speechless amazement was answer enough。
〃Without waiting for further information； the lady's husband stabbed
him to the heart。〃
〃You must tell that to the marines！〃 said Lousteau。 〃It needs their
robust faith to swallow it！ Can you tell me which told the tale； the
dead man or the Spaniard？〃
〃Monsieur；〃 replied the Receiver…General； 〃I nursed poor Bega； who
died five days after in dreadful suffering。That is not the end。
〃At the time of the expedition sent out to restore Ferdinand VII。 I
was appointed to a place in Spain； but； happily for me； I got no
further than Tours when I was promised the post of Receiver here at
Sancerre。 On the eve of setting out I was at a ball at Madame de
Listomere's； where we were to meet several Spaniards of high rank。 On
rising from the card…table； I saw a Spanish grandee； an /afrancesado/
in exile； who had been about a fortnight in Touraine。 He had arrived
very late at this ballhis first appearance in societyaccompanied
by his wife； whose right arm was perfectly motionless。 Everybody made
way in silence for this couple； whom we all watched with some
excitement。 Imagine a picture by Murillo come to life。 Under black and
hollow brows the man's eyes were like a fixed blaze； his face looked
dried up； his bald skull was red； and his frame was a terror to
behold； he was so emaciated。 His wifeno； you cannot imagine her。 Her
figure had the supple swing for which the Spaniards created the word
/meneho/； though pale； she was still beautiful； her complexion was
dazzlingly faira rare thing in a Spaniard； and her gaze； full of the
Spanish sun； fell on you like a stream of melted lead。
〃 'Madame；' said I to her； towards the end of the evening； 'what
occurrence led to the loss of your arm？'
〃 'I lost it in the war of independence；' said she。〃
〃Spain is a strange country；〃 said Madame de la Baudraye。 〃It still
shows traces of Arab manners。〃
〃Oh！〃 said the journalist； laughing； 〃the mania for cutting off arms
is an old one there。 It turns up every now and then like some of our
newspaper hoaxes； for the subject has given plots for plays on the
Spanish stage so early as 1570〃
〃Then do you think me capable of inventing such a story？〃 said
Monsieur Gravier； nettled by Lousteau's impertinent tone。
〃Quite incapable of such a thing；〃 said the journalist with grave
irony。
〃Pooh！〃 said Bianchon； 〃the inventions of romances and play…writers
are quite as often transferred from their books and pieces into real
life； as the events of real life are made use of on the stage or
adapted to a tale。 I have seen the comedy of /Tartufe/ played out
with the exception of the close； Orgon's eyes could not be opened to
the truth。〃
〃And the tragi…comedy of /Adolphe/ by Benjamin Constant is constantly
enacted；〃 cried Lousteau。
〃And do you suppose；〃 asked Madame de la Baudraye； 〃that such
adventures as Monsieur Gravier has related could ever occur now； and
in France？〃
〃Dear me！〃 cried Clagny； 〃of the ten or twelve startling crimes that
are annually committed in France； quite half are mixed up with
circumstances at least as extraordinary as these； and often outdoing
them in romantic details。 Indeed； is not this proved by the reports in
the /Gazette des Tribunaux/the Police newsin my opinion； one of
the worst abuses of the Press？ This newspaper； which was started only
in 1826 or '27； was not in existence when I began my professional
career； and the facts of the crime I am about to speak of were not
known beyond the limits of the department where it was committed。
〃In the quarter of Saint…Pierre…des…Corps at Tours a woman whose
husband had disappeared at the time when the army of the Loire was
disbanded； and who had mourned him deeply； was conspicuous for her
excess of devotion。 When the mission priests went through all the
provinces to restore the crosses that had been destroyed and to efface
the traces of revolutionary impiety； this widow was one of their most
zealous proselytes； she carried a cross and nailed to it a silver
heart pierced by an arrow； and； for a long time after； she went every
evening to pray at the foot of the cross which was erected behind the
Cathedral apse。
〃At last； overwhelmed by remorse； she confessed to a horrible crime。
She had killed her husband； as Fualdes was murdered； by bleeding him；
she had salted the body and packed it in pieces into old casks；
exactly as if it have been pork； and for a long time she had taken a
piece every morning and thrown it into the Loire。 Her confessor
consulted his superiors； and told her that it would be his duty to
inform the public prosecutor。 The woman awaited the action of the Law。
The public prosecutor and the examining judge； on examining the
cellar； found the husband's head still in pickle in one of the casks。
'Wretched woman；' said the judge to the accused； 'since you were so
barbarous as to throw your husband's body into the river； why did you
not get rid of the head？ Then there would have been no proof。'
〃 'I often tried； monsieur；' said she； 'but it was too heavy。' 〃
〃Well； and what became of the woman？〃 asked the two Parisians。
〃She was sentenced and executed at Tours；〃 replied the lawyer； 〃but
her repentance and piety had attracted interest in spite of her
monstrous crime。〃
〃And do you suppose； said Bianchon； 〃that we know all the tragedies
that are played out behind the curtain of private life that the public
never lifts？It seems to me that human justice is ill adapted to
judge of crimes as between husband and wife。 It has every right to
intervene as the police； but in equity it knows nothing of the heart
of the matter。〃
〃The victim has in many cases been for so long the tormentor；〃 said
Madame de la Baudraye guilelessly； 〃that the crime would sometimes
seem almost excusable if the accused could tell all。〃
This reply； led up to by Bianchon and by the story which Clagny had
told； left the two Parisians excessively puzzled as to Dinah's
position。
At bedtime council was held； one of those discussions which take place
in the passages of old country…houses where the bachelors linger；
candle in hand； for mysterious conversations。
Monsieur Gravier was now informed of the object in view during this
entertaining evening which had brought Madame de la Baudraye's
innocence to light。
〃But； after all；〃 said Lousteau； 〃our