Page:Gaston Leroux--The man with the black feather.djvu/242

218 explanation which might cause me trouble. If you do, you're a dead woman.'

"Mme. de B… is a lady of courage. She rose at once to the occasion, rang for her maid, ordered supper to be brought to her boudoir, and a quarter of an hour later she and the man with the white hair were facing one another at table, the best friends in the world. We need hardly say that the man with the white hair made no haste over that delightful meal; and it was after two o'clock when he climbed down from the balcony. It was perhaps not unnatural that the beautiful Mme. de B… should not have informed the police of the adventure. It was necessity that compelled her to the avowal; for a few days later a Commissary of Police called on her, and informed her that the ring, containing a magnificent diamond, which she wore on the third finger of her right hand was the property of Mlle. Emilienne de Besançon; that that lady had seen it on her finger at a charity bazaar the day before; that Mme. de B… was doubtless ignorant whose property it was; doubtless it had been given to her. Mme. de B… was beyond words surprised and annoyed. She told the story of the balcony, the unknown, and the supper; and said that in