ed
cries, as if from persons engaged in a deadly struggle. A cry more
prolonged than the others and ending in a series of groans effectually
roused me from my drowsy lethargy. Hastily raising myself on one arm, I
looked around, but all was dark; and it seemed to me as if the rain must
have penetrated through the flooring of the room above, for some kind
of moisture appeared to fall, drop by drop, upon my forehead, and when I
passed my hand across my brow, I felt that it was wet and clammy.

"To the fearful noises that had awakened me had succeeded the most
perfect silence--unbroken, save by the footsteps of a man walking about
in the chamber above. The staircase creaked, he descended into the room
below, approached the fire and lit a candle. The man was Caderousse--he
was pale and his shirt was all bloody. Having obtained the light, he
hurried up-stairs again, and once more I heard his rapid and uneasy
footsteps. A moment later he came down again, holding in his hand the
small shagreen case, which he opened, to assure himself it contained
the diamond,--seemed to hesitate as to which pocket he should put it
in, then, as if dissatisfied with the security of either pocket, he
deposited it in his red handkerchief, which he carefully rolled round
his head. After this he took from his cupboard the bank-notes and gold
he had put there, thrust the one into the pocket of his trousers, and
the other into that of his waistcoat, hastily tied up a small bundle of
linen, and rushing towards the door, disappeared in the darkness of the
night.

"Then all became clear and manifest to me, and I reproached myself
with what had happened, as though I myself had done the guilty deed.
I fancied that I still heard faint moans, and imagining that the
unfortunate jeweller might not be quite dead, I determined to go to his
relief, by way of atoning in some slight degree, not for the crime I had
committed, but for that which I had not endeavored to prevent. For this
purpose I applied all the strength I possessed to force an entrance
from the cramped spot in which I lay to the adjoining room. The poorly
fastened boards which alone divided me from it yielded to my efforts,
and I found myself in the house. Hastily snatching up the lighted
candle, I hurried to the staircase; about midway a body was lying quite
across the stairs. It was that of La Carconte. The pistol I had heard
had doubtless been fired at her. The shot had frightfully lacerated her