She just put her handkerchief
to her eyes, and said softly to her sister, "How he is changed!"
then spoke no more. They sat silent for half an hour or longer.
After that, Rosamond went affectionately and forgivingly to see
how her husband was. She returned, saying that he was in bed, and
in a deep, heavy sleep; and predicting hopefully that he would
wake up quite well the next morning. In a few minutes more the
clock stuck nine; and Ida heard the servant's step ascending the
stairs. She suspected what his errand was, and went out to meet
him. Her presentiment had not deceived her; the police agent had
arrived, and was waiting for her downstairs.
He asked her if she had said anything to her sister, or had
thought of any plan of action, the moment she entered the room;
and, on receiving a reply in the negative, inquired, further, if
"the baron" had come home yet. She answered that he had; that he
was ill and tired, and vexed, and that he had gone to bed. The
agent asked in an eager whisper if she knew that he was asleep,
and alone in bed? and, when he received her reply, said that he
must go up into the bedroom directly.
She began to feel the faintness coming over her again, and with
it sensations of loathing and terror that she could neither
express to others nor define to herself. He said that if she
hesitated to let him avail himself of this unexpected
opportunity, her scruples might lead to fatal results He reminded
her that if "the baron" were really the convict Monbrun, the
claims of society and of justice demanded that he should be
discovered by the first available means; and that if he were
not--if some inconceivable mistake had really been
committed--then such a plan for getting immediately at the truth
as was now proposed would insure the delivery of an innocent man
from suspicion; and at the same time spare him the knowledge that
he had ever been suspected.
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