Page:Hope-indiscretions of duchess.djvu/138

126 “Going on? Where? Do you mean here?”

“No, no! I heard nothing here. In the duchess’s dressing-room: it is just under the room where I sleep. I awoke about half an hour ago, and I heard sounds from there. There was a sound as of muffled hammering, and then a noise, like the rasping of a file; and I thought I heard people moving about, but very cautiously.”

The duke and I were both listening attentively.

“I was frightened, and lay still a little; but then I got up—for the sounds went on—and put on some clothes, and came down”

“Why didn’t you rouse the men? It must be thieves.”

“I did go to the men’s room; but their door was locked, and I could not make them hear. I did not dare to knock loud; but I saw a light in the room, under the door; and if they’d been awake they would have heard.”

“Perhaps they weren’t there,” I suggested.

Suzanne turned a sudden look on me. Then she said:

“The safe holding the jewels is fixed in the wall of the duchess’ dressing room. And—and Lafleur knows it.”

The duke had heard the story with a frowning face; but now a smile appeared on his lips, and he said:

“Ah, yes! The jewels are there!”

“The—the Cardinal’s Necklace,” whispered Suzanne.