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four duodecimo volumes； had a great success； since it came to a second
edition。We will read on and find a clue to the mystery。
OR ROMAN REVENGE 21
corridor； but finding that he was
pursued by the Duchess' people
〃Oh； get along！〃
〃But；〃 said Madame de la Baudraye； 〃some important events have taken
place between your waste sheet and this page。〃
〃This complete sheet； madame； this precious made…up sheet。 But does
the waste sheet in which the Duchess forgets her gloves in the arbor
belong to the fourth volume？ Well； deuce take itto proceed。
Rinaldo saw no safer refuge than to
make forthwith for the cellar where
the treasures of the Bracciano fam…
ily no doubt lay hid。 As light of
foot as Camilla sung by the Latin
poet； he flew to the entrance to the
Baths of Vespasian。 The torchlight
already flickered on the walls when
Rinaldo； with the readiness be…
stowed on him by nature； discovered
the door concealed in the stone…
work； and suddenly vanished。 A
hideous thought then flashed on
Rinaldo's brain like lightning rend…
ing a cloud： He was imprisoned！
He felt the wall with uneasy haste
〃Yes； this made…up sheet follows the waste sheet。 The last page of the
damaged sheet was 212； and this is 217。 In fact； since Rinaldo； who in
the earlier fragment stole the key of the Duchess' treasure by
exchanging it for another very much like it； is nowon the made…up
sheetin the palace of the Dukes of Bracciano； the story seems to me
to be advancing to a conclusion of some kind。 I hope it is as clear to
you as it is to me。I understand that the festivities are over； the
lovers have returned to the Bracciano Palace； it is nightone o'clock
in the morning。 Rinaldo will have a good time。〃
〃And Adolphe too！〃 said President Boirouge； who was considered rather
free in his speech。
〃And the style！〃 said Bianchon。〃Rinaldo； who saw /no better refuge
than to make for the cellar/。〃
〃It is quite clear that neither Maradan； nor Treuttel and Wurtz； nor
Doguereau； were the printers；〃 said Lousteau； 〃for they employed
correctors who revised the proofs； a luxury in which our publishers
might very well indulge； and the writers of the present day； would
benefit greatly。 Some scrubby pamphlet printer on the Quay〃
〃What quay？〃 a lady asked of her neighbor。 〃They spoke of baths〃
〃Pray go on；〃 said Madame de la Baudraye。
〃At any rate； it is not by a councillor；〃 said Bianchon。
〃It may be by Madame Hadot；〃 replied Lousteau。
〃What has Madame Hadot of La Charite to do with it？〃 the Presidente
asked of her son。
〃This Madame Hadot； my dear friend；〃 the hostess answered； 〃was an
authoress； who lived at the time of the Consulate。〃
〃What； did women write in the Emperor's time？〃 asked Madame Popinot…
Chandier。
〃What of Madame de Genlis and Madame de Stael？〃 cried the Public
Prosecutor； piqued on Dinah's account by this remark。
〃To be sure！〃
〃I beg you to go on；〃 said Madame de la Baudraye to Lousteau。
Lousteau went on saying： 〃Page 218。
218 OLYMPIA
and gave a shriek of despair when
he had vainly sought any trace of a
secret spring。 It was impossible to
ignore the horrible truth。 The door；
cleverly constructed to serve the
vengeful purposes of the Duchess；
could not be opened from within。
Rinaldo laid his cheek against the
wall in various spots； nowhere
could he feel the warmer air from
the passage。 He had hoped he
might find a crack that would show
him where there was an opening in
the wall； but nothing； nothing！ The
whole seemed to be of one block of
marble。
Then he gave a hollow roar like
that of a hyaena
〃Well； we fancied that the cry of the hyaena was a recent invention of
our own！〃 said Lousteau； 〃and here it was already known to the
literature of the Empire。 It is even introduced with a certain skill
in natural history； as we see in the word /hollow/。〃
〃Make no more comments； monsieur；〃 said Madame de la Baudraye。
〃There； you see！〃 cried Bianchon。 〃Interest； the romantic demon； has
you by the collar； as he had me a while ago。〃
〃Read on；〃 cried de Clagny； 〃I understand。〃
〃What a coxcomb！〃 said the Presiding Judge in a whisper to his
neighbor the Sous…prefet。
〃He wants to please Madame de la Baudraye；〃 replied the new Sous…
prefet。
〃Well； then I will read straight on；〃 said Lousteau solemnly。
Everybody listened in dead silence。
OR ROMAN REVENGE 219
A deep groan answered Rinaldo's
cry； but in his alarm he took it for
an echo； so weak and hollow was
the sound。 It could not proceed
from any human breast。
〃Santa Maria！〃 said the voice。
〃If I stir from this spot I shall
never find it again；〃 thought Ri…
naldo； when he had recovered his
usual presence of mind。 〃If I knock；
I shall be discovered。 What am I
to do？〃
〃Who is here？〃 asked the voice。
〃Hallo！〃 cried the brigand； 〃do
the toads here talk？〃
〃I am the Duke of Bracciano。
Whoever you may be； if you are not
a follower of the Duchess'； in the
name of all the saints； come towards
me。〃
220 OLYMPIA
〃I should have to know where to
find you； Monsieur le Duc；〃 said Ri…
naldo； with the insolence of a man
who knows himself to be necessary。
〃I can see you； my friend； for my
eyes are accustomed to the darkness。
Listen： walk straight forward
good； now turn to the leftcome
onthis way。 There； we are close
to each other。〃
Rinaldo putting out his hands as
a precaution； touched some iron
bars。
〃I am being deceived；〃 cried the
bandit。
〃No； you are touching my cage。
OR ROMAN REVENGE 221
Sit down on a broken shaft of por…
phyry that is there。〃
〃How can the Duke of Bracciano
be in a cage？〃 asked the brigand。
〃My friend； I have been here for
thirty months； standing up； unable
to sit downBut you； who are
you？〃
〃I am Rinaldo； prince of the Cam…
pagna； the chief of four…and…twenty
brave men whom the law describes
as miscreants； whom all the ladies
admire； and whom judges hang in
obedience to an old habit。〃
〃God be praised！ I am saved。
An honest man would have been
afraid； whereas I am sure of coming
to an understanding with you；〃
cried the Duke。 〃Oh； my worthy
222 OLYMPIA
deliverer； you must be armed to the
teeth。〃
〃/E verissimo/〃 （most true）。
〃Do you happen to have〃
〃Yes； files； pincers/Corpo di
Bacco/！ I came to borrow the treas…
ures of the Bracciani on a long
loan。〃
〃You will earn a handsome share
of them very legitimately； my good
Rinaldo； and we may possibly go
man hunting together〃
〃You surprise me； Eccellenza！〃
〃Listen to me； Rinaldo。 I will
say nothing of the craving for
vengeance that gnaws at my heart。
I have been here for thirty months
you too are Italianyou will un…
OR ROMAN REVENGE 223
derstand me！ Alas； my friend； my
fatigue and my horrible incarcera…
tion are nothing in comparison
with the rage that devours my soul。
The Duchess of Bracciano is