Page:Gaston Leroux--The man with the black feather.djvu/255

Rh !) She looked at the calf with some surprise, for at that hour the calf should have been veal. Then she opened the door wider, and called to her husband. He did not answer; she turned towards his assistant and said:

"‘"Your master is n't here. Are you sure he has n't gone out?"

"‘"Quite sure, Mum. I 've been in the back-yard all the time. I expect he's hiding behind the door to jump out and give you a fright, Mum. You know what a joker the master is. But all the same, he'd much better be hiding the calf. If anybody sees it, he 'll get into trouble."

"'So saying, he sprang at the head of the calf and slipped a halter over it.

"‘"Houdry! Houdry!" cried his wife. "You 're hiding to give me a fright! Don't be silly!"

"'There was no answer; and she went into the slaughter-house. Then she screamed; she had found M. Houdry. He was not hiding at all.

"He was laid out, in neat joints of veal, on the table.

"'I told him so,' said I. 'I told him so more than once. My presentiments always come true. I expected some great misfortune! And