"A TRIUMPH OF LOVE"

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 40, 16 February 1929, Page 12 (Supplement)

"A TRIUMPH OF LOVE"

t lIAFTER XXlV.—(Continued.)

In the next forty-eight hours Madeleine s-.hut herself in her room. In vain Xicolettc, Pauline, Leopold Biseau and Luce- herself presented themselves at the Rue Spontini. The young girl replied that she would see them soon, but for tho moment she must be alone. On the third day she consented to give Gremont •the interview that he demanded, in order, as lie said, ro be made acquainted with the state of affaire and to take his orders on certain urgent questions.

As she entered the office Madeleine could not help recalling the circumstances of her previous visit. Then tho young girl had come to protest, and Jules, her superior, stood before her, unshakable and smiling. This time Gremont waited to be seated until Madeleine pave him permission. Then, stroking his beard, he commenced to speak.

It was quite evident that he was very disturbed. He knew that great heirs, like kings, have the habit, before the tears shed for their predecessors are dry, of upsetting the established order of things and dismissing their ministers. Would Madeleine, newly emancipated, direct her atFairs according to her own sweet will and would the email, almost theoretical, functions of the steward come to an end in eighteen months' time, when Mademoiselle Biseau came of age, or at her marriage at a still earlier date? Now Jules Gremont, although Gerain had not forgotten him in his will, wished to preserve under the reign of Madeleine the powers that he had exercised during the time of her uncle. He took great care therefore to explain to Madeleine the importance of her inheritance and the complexity of the business which it involved. He gave her to understand that nobody except himself could look after such capital and so many enterprises without making mistakes. He did not exactly say that it would be a disaster to put anybody else in his place, hut he was not sparing of arguments and examples calculated to lead Madeleine to form this conclusion for herself.

His boastfulness was not altogether groundless. His industry and his administrative ability were incontestable, and Madeleine did not doubt it. Gremont's weakness for Nicolette did not excessively shock the girl. She knew that in a few days the little red-haired lady would be effectively disposed of, and she ■was not altogether displeased that the stern and rather awe-inspiring figure of Jules Gremont should be softened by a little amorous foolishness. In a few amiable phrases, therefore, she assured Gremont that be would continue in his post, and even thanked him for consenting to remain there. Jules, radiant with happiness, bowed his acknowledgments, and, rubbing his hands, proceeded:

"There Ts one matter that I ought to take up with you at once. I want to know whether you approve of the assistance which I gave in M. Gerain's name to M. Dufochat, senior. That gentleman had brought himself by speculations, which were more than imprudent, into a very terrible position. Thanks to the imm. .ise credits at the disposal of M. Garain, and now at your disposal, and thanks also to my own investments, on which I have reason to congratulate myself, for th -y have been successful, M. Leon Durochat is now on his feet again, always assuming that we continue our support." "Continue it," said Madeleine, "we must." "I think so, too, mademoiselle. That is the best way for you to regain your liberty which you were so reluctant to give up." "Exactly," said Madeleine, but not altogether cheerfully. "If I have served the interests of M. Leon Durochat," continued Jules, "if, in fact, I have saved him, it is in order that I should use his influence at St. S and all his great authority to prevent or contradict the rumours we feared, without the necessity of marrying his son."

"Authority and influence don't count for much in these things," murmured Madeleine.

"Perhaps you are right. M. Durochat, who shared my views, felt some doubts about that, as I do. Fortunately, your nance himself has found a solution which means a considerable sacrifice of personal pride on his part. M. Jules Durochat feels that it will he sufficient to announce publicly that you have withdrawn your word and that you refuse decidedly to accept him. At the request of his son, M. Durochat has agreed to make this announcement himself, and he will add that it is a great frief to him that you are not entering is family. It is certain, mademoiselle," Gremont added, smiling, "that there is more prestige in declining to become Madame Durochat than in accepting so distinguished a name." "Very possibly," remarked Madeleine, rather peevishly. CHAPTER XXV. Gremont continued to smile amiably and proceeded: "And then, on the other hand, if we are soon to have the pleasure, if I may be permitted to prophesy, of addressing you as 'Countess' ..." Madeleine interrupted him: "Please don't," she said, "it is too soon, much too soon, to consider subjects of that kind." "Very good, mademoiselle," replied Gremont with extreme deference. "To return to the financial arrangements Which I made to assist M. Leon Durochat, I can assure you that I have not exposed you to any considerable risk. For example, in putting ourselves in the place of his creditors, we have naturally taken' over the mortgages on his factories. All the worst, then, instead of bebi£ rivals to the factories of the same kind which now belong to you in the St. S — district, they may very well be supplementary, or better still, they can be closed down. From all appearance?, we shall find at the end that wc are no worse off." Jules Gremont could not make up his mind why it was that Madeleine gave a bitter little laugh at these words and left the office without any further common t. When she left Gremont, Madeleine wrote a very short note which she gave Felicie to take to Jaques Durochat. This brought him to Madeleine early in the afternoon full of excuses for not having given any sign of his existence *™ c * the return f ™m Chamonix. ♦w mc " Fore9t ." he said, "assured me in»V°« * a " ted to be left alone durMadelS d u yS ° f y° ur bereavement." said: shru «ged her shoulders and here, „a£,l y 7 b f vo°„ Th «»»• have given me a g Z deal ™f V° Uld to see, were afraid «»„ lof 1 have had to «d

By PIERRE BILLOTEY

"I was still waiting," Jacques assured her, "but I had not forgotten that I owed you a visit," and he added very softly, "a farewell visit." Madeleine turned her face away. "Yes," she said, "but later, when you have done me, my dear Jacques, the great service which I wish nobody but you to do."

"You know that I am at your command," he said.

"What I want you to do," Madeleine went on, "is to get rid for me once and for all of the illustrious Moldavian prince and all his following. I am sure you will agree with me that I ought not to have to see them any more, even for the purpose of turning them out. I am counting on you for this service, but first of all I think perhaps you had better read this," and Madeleine handed him the bulky report which Felicie had obtained from Mr. Jacob's agency.

She smiled as she did so, and she added not altogether without malice:

"Cheer up, my friend, you will find something there about the beautiful Genevieve."

Luce was sitting in her studio on the large black divan between Pauline and Nicolette. All three sat silent, and Daniel Sarosch also was silent as, with his hands behind his back, he walked slowly round the room. For the three ladies' and for him there seemed to be only one thing in life that mattered — the clock at which they looked impatiently from time to time, waiting for it to register half-past five.

They were waiting for Madeleine. Luce had finally succeeded in having a word with the young lady on the previous day and had been surprised to hear from her that she would come that day to the Boulevard Raspail and that she would hope to see at the same time their travelling companions of Chamonix, Pauline, Nicolette, Sarosch and de Beras. A reunion of this kind was all the easier for Madame Forest to bring about because these various people spent all their time with her. Anxious to find out what were the intentions of Madeleine, who had been very enigmatic since the death of M. Garain, they had, so to speak, established their headquarters at Luce's house. From morning till night, at least one of them was on duty in order to learn without any delay and pass on to the others any news which might arrive. They were then ready to receive this first favourable sign and not to neglect the unexpected opportunity of renewing their acquaintance with the heir, all, that is, except Gustave de Beras, who did not appear. "Has he forgotten?" asked Madame Forest.

"Mademoiselle Biscau will get on very well without Gustave," said Pauline nervously. Luce made no reply. She signed and remembered that Gustave, who, on the sea of ice, had promised to marry her, had shown very much less eagerness when they returned under the leaden skies of Paris. '•It looks," replied Nicolette, "as if Madeleine will manage to do very well without all of ua for she is very late already." "Oh, no," declared Sarosch. "A halfhour doesn't count for a lady." At this moment the door bell rang and the agitation of everybody increased. Emilienne opened the door and Gremont appeared. He had no doubt about the disappointment on all faces when he entered, but Nicolette remembered her duty and smiled sweetly at her dear Jules: "Hullo. You here?" she said. "We hadn't hoped for this." "Mademoiselle Biseau gave me an appointment here," he replied, "though 1 am sure I do not know what for." There was another ring at the bell. "It is she at last," murmured Sarosch, whose hands wandered mechanically to his necktie, to put it in order. There was a fresh surprise, however, and more disagreeable than the last. This time, instead of Madeleine, it was Jacques Durochat whom Emilienne intro- \ duced into the studio. j "Who asked him to come?" grumbled Pauline under her breath. Nicolette, leaning over to Jules who was sitting on her right, muttered: "Has he been invited, too?" Gremont, not knowing, made no reply. Sarosch, with an air of extreme condescension, bore down on Jacques and offered hiin his hand, but the young man pretended not to see. "Dear Madame Forest," Jacques began, "my best respects to you, and you, M. Gremont. Believe me, I am particularly happy to meet you this evening." Then, with a bantering air, he looked in turn to Pauline and Nicolette, without saluting them. Madame Castillon, abashed, examined her polished finger nails, but Pauline Lebrnn, raising her eyebrows, succeeded in outstaring Jacques. As to Sarosch, he stood, a picture of embarrassment, in the middle of the studio. Walking across the room, and standing with his back to the chimney piece, Jacques declared: "Mademoiselle Biseau will not be here. She never had any intention of coining." Pauline, standing up furiously, exclaimed: "What is the meaning of this joke?" But Jacques burst into laughter and replied contemptuously: "Be quiet, Sophie." This simple Christian name had a most extraordinary effect on the unfortunate woman. She opened her mouth wide for a moment, stepped back and collapsed into her chair. "M. Gremont," continued Jacques, "and you, Madame Forest, I am here on behalf of Mademoiselle Biseau to tell you that you have given your confidence to a gang of rascals."

At these last words, delivered in a heightened voice, Luce and her brother jumped up from their seats. Nicolette remained seated. Suddenly she buried her face in her hands and commenced to sob. Daniel was stealing stealthily towards the door which opened out into the passage, but Pauline, trembling, went up to him and hissed: "What are you waiting for? Why don't you knock him down?" But Daniel, with an air of discouragement, shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing to be done," he said, "our number's up. We had better get out/' Seeing them all ready to leave the room, Jacques commanded: "Stay where you are. You will leave when I tell you and not before. If you attempt to go now, I shall follow you and, as soon as you are in the street, you will be arrested. Come here, Sophie. Come here, Rudolph. You needn't be afraid, I only want to present you to M. Gremont and to M; dame I Forest,- who don't know you yet."

The so-called Daniel Sarosch and the pretended Madame Lebrun looked at each other questioningly on the threshold.

"I told you to come here," said Jacques. "Remember you have five flights of stairs to go down and I have only to give a telephone call to have the* doors shut below and the detectives summoned."

"M. Jacques," cried Luce, trembling, "what are you going to do? I don't understand."

"Nor do I," murmured Gremont. He had, however, become extremely pale and moved away from Xicolettc, who had collapsed in tears on her chair.

"Listen," continued Jacques, turning towards Jules and his sister. And then, pointing to the false Sarosch, he said: "Monsieur the Hospodar, your name is Rudolph Barnecki, born in Pesth, sentenced for theft in Vienna in 1910, and in Paris on May 13, 1923, for falsification of papers and fraud. To be precise, it was matrimonial fraud. In those days, Rudolph Barnecki, you were not so very ambitious. You were content to propose marriage to little servant girls and make off with their savings." "This is shocking," declared Gremont breathlessly. "Are you certain of what you are saying, M. Jacques Durochat?" "Barnecki." said Jacques, "am I telling the truth? Answer and don't lie." As he spoke, Jacques moved towards the telephone and made as though to remove the receiver. Barnecki looked away. "Yes or no, Barnecki?" "Yes," replied the other, his head hung down, "and now let me go." "Mon Dieu?" sobbed Luce, horrorstruck. "Can this be possible?" "One word more, Barnecki. Let me add that your principal industry for the last two years has been trading m narcotics, cocaine and morphine, that you buy wholesale and sell in small packets at Montmartre and Montparnasse with the aid of certain assistants, including these two women and also the dear Baron, whose absence 1 deplore." "What, Gustave? Gustave himself?'' And Luce, she also sobbing, collapsed on to the divan.

"You can go, Barnecki," said Jacques. "I feel pretty sure you will get taken before long." (To be continued daily.)