Page:Eekhoud - The New Carthage.djvu/368

340 by Béjard in the vile performance. "I have not Keen out of the house this evening. Is not my word enough for you? Here, the postmarks on this registered letter prove that it was delivered to me about an hour ago. I was just finishing my reply to it when you burst in, and you will admit that it would take easily an hour to fill these four pages with a handwriting as close as mine."

In order to be satisfied Laurent had no need of an irrefutable proof; everything about Gina proclaimed her innocence; her air of repose, her house-gown, her coiffure, arranged for the night, the sound of her voice, the honest look in her eyes, even the cool and calm perfume that she herself exhaled.

"Forgive me, cousin, for having doubted you for a moment … Forgive me, above all, my conduct of this afternoon …"

"I have already forgotten that nonsense … Ah! Laurent, it is rather I who should ask your pardon! Have I not been cruel toward everyone, but especially toward you, my poor Laurent!… Be merciful to me. Just now I need to be spared! I am expiating my coquetry!

"For a long time you have hated Béjard, haven't you? You will never hate him enough! He is the enemy of us all, the malignant beast par excellence lenceexcellence [sic]… You know about the shipwreck of The Gina! Well, it is a horrible thing to say, but I am convinced that the wretch anticipated the disaster, that it even entered into his calculations. Yes, he knew that the boat wouldn't hold water very much longer!"

"No! Oh, no! Don't say that! Béjard was an angel two minutes ago! Béjard was as good as Jesus!… He knew that; he wanted that shipwreck!