File No. 113, Emile Gaboriau [digital e reader txt] 📗

his rival. Weak, timid, and helpless, the rival was disgraced, and falling over the verge of a precipice, when the powerful hand of Caldas reached forth and saved him. You understand all now, do you not? The woman is Nina; the rival is yourself; and Caldas is—”

With a quick, dexterous movement, he threw off his wig and whiskers, and stood before them the real, intelligent, proud Lecoq.

“Caldas!” cried Nina.

“No, not Caldas, not Verduret any longer: but Lecoq, the detective!”

M. Lecoq broke the stupefied silence of his listeners by saying to Prosper:

“It is not to me alone that you owe your salvation. A noble girl confided to me the difficult task of clearing your reputation. I promised her that M. Fauvel should never know the shameful secrets concerning his domestic happiness. Your letter thwarted all my plans, and made it impossible for me to keep my promise. I have nothing more to say.”

He turned to leave the room, but Nina barred his exit.

“Caldas,” she murmured, “I implore you to have pity on me! I am so miserable! Ah, if you only knew! Be forgiving to one who has always loved you, Caldas! Listen.”

Prosper departed from M. Lecoq’s office alone.

On the 15th of last month, was celebrated, at the church of Notre Dame de Lorette, the marriage of M. Prosper Bertomy and Mlle. Madeleine Fauvel.

The banking-house is still on the Rue de Provence; but as M. Fauvel has decided to retire from business, and live in the country, the name of the firm has been changed, and is now—

“Prosper Bertomy & Co.”

 

End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of File No. 113, by Emile Gaboriau