第25部分(第1/7 頁)

〃You　have　e　into　a　lot　of　money；　Monsieur。〃

〃What　the　devil　has　that　got　to　do　with　you？〃

The　te　drew　himself　up。

〃Monsieur；　my　name　is　tarnished！　I　am　suspected　…　accused　…　of　foul　crime。〃

〃The　accusation　does　not　e　from　me；〃　said　Derek　coldly；　〃as　an　interested　party　I　have　not　expressed　any　opinion。〃

〃I　am　innocent；〃　said　the　te；　〃I　swear　before　heaven　…〃　he　raised　his　hand　to　heaven　…　〃that　I　am　innocent。〃

〃M。　Carrege　is；　I　believe；　the　Juge　d'Instruction　in　charge　of　the　case；〃　hinted　Derek　politely。

The　te　took　no　notice。

〃Not　only　am　I　unjustly　suspected　of　a　crime　that　I　did　not　mit；　but　I　am　also　in　serious　need　of　money。〃

He　coughed　softly　and　suggestively。

Derek　rose　to　his　feet。

〃I　was　waiting　for　that；〃　he　said　softly；　〃you　blackmailing　brute！　I　will　not　give　you　a　penny。　My　wife　is　dead；　and　no　scandal　that　you　can　make　can　touch　her　now。　She　wrote　you　foolish　letters；　I　dare　say。　If　I　were　to　buy　them　from　you　for　a　round　sum　at　this　minute；　I　am　pretty　certain　that　you　would　manage　to　keep　one　or　two　back；　and　I　will　tell　you　this；　M。　de　la　Roche；　blackmailing　is　an　ugly　word　both　in　England　and　in　France。　That　is　my　answer　to　you。　Good　afternoon。〃

〃One　moment　…〃　the　te　stretched　out　a　hand　as　Derek　was　turning　to　leave　the　room。　〃You　are　mistaken；　Monsieur。　You　are　pletely　mistaken。　I　am；　I　hope；　a　'gentleman。'〃

Derek　laughed。

〃Any　letters　that　a　lady　might　write　to　me　I　should　hold　sacred。〃　He　flung　back　his　head　with　a　beautiful　air　of　nobility。　〃The　proposition　that　I　was　putting　before　you　was　of　quite　a　different　nature。　I　am；　as　I　said；　extremely　short　of　money；　and　my　conscience　might　impel　me　to　go　to　the　police　with　certain　information。〃