After that, one of our stable-men told us that in the evening when he led the horses to the water, he thought he had seen the Spanish grandee swimming far down the river like a live fish. When he returned, I told him to take care of the rushes; he appeared vexed to have been seen in the water. At last, one day, or rather one morning, we did not find him in his room; he had not returned.
After searching everywhere, I found some writing in the drawer of a table, where there were fifty gold pieces of Spain that are called doubloons and were worth about five thousand francs; and ten thousand francs` worth of diamonds in a small sealed box. The writing said, that in case he did not return, he left us the money and the diamonds, on condition of paying for Masses to thank God for his escape, and for his salvation. In those days my husband had not been taken from me; he hastened to seek him everywhere.
“And now for the strange part of the story. He brought home the Spaniard`s clothes, that he had discovered under a big stone, in a sort of pilework by the river-side near the castle, nearly opposite to the Grande Breteche. My husband had gone there so early that no one had seen him. After reading the letter, he burned the clothes, and according to Count Feddria`s desire we declared that he had escaped.
Affair of Madame de Merret
The sous-prdfet sent all the gendarmerie in pursuit of him; but brust! they never caught him. Lepas believed that the Spaniard had drowned himself. I, sir, don`t think so; I am more inclined to believe that he had something to do with the affair of Madame de Merret, seeing that Rosalie told me that the crucifix, that her mistress thought so much of, that she had it buried with her, was of ebony and silver.
Now in the beginning of his stay here, Monsieur de Fdderia had one in ebony and silver, that I never saw him with later. Now, sir, don`t you consider that I need have no scruples about the Spaniard`s fifteen thousand francs, and that I have a right to them?”
“Certainly; but you haven`t tried to question Rosalie?” I said.
“Oh, yes, indeed, sir; but to no purpose! the girl`s like a wall. She knows something, but it is impossible to get her to talk.”
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