Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 49: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BALLET-GIRL’S REVENGE. 43 help gazing admiringly, enviously, upon the tran- scendent loveliness of this fair and imperious woman. Did it not seem that such as she were made to be queens, while all others were born to be her abject slaves and do her bidding ? And yet even beauty will fade, and life is uncertain, and death is stealing upon us all—how far off or how near to us who can say ? Thus death awaited this lovely woman. A sudden and horrible death. And as she stood there smiling proudly she was on the very brink of the grave. She had barely ten minutes more to live. When she wasattired she descended to the green- room, — As she entered there was but one other person present—a pretty woman, attired like herself for the ballet. As the beauty closed the door and advanced towards the fire the other started slightly and changed colour. As she did so her hand wandered to her bosom and seemed to search for something hidden there. There was a faint flush, too, upon the face of the new- comer as she recognised her companion, and she ap- peared for a moment to hesitate whether or not she should come into the room. However, she decided upon doing so, and slowly approached the fireplace, keeping her eyes averted from the other woman’s face. There was a dead silence of several moments. Then the second woman said in alow and trem- bling voice, which she vainly endeavoured to render firm— “Have you thought over what I said to you ?” “‘ Yes, I have, but this is neither the time nor place to go into the matter.”’ “Excuse me, but it is the place. As for the time, I have already waited far too long.” “ You must wait until it is my pleasure to speak to you, Clara.”’ ** When will that be?” **T cannot say.”’ ‘But I must know to-night.” ce No.” “ When, then ?”’ ‘‘Never. I defy you to do your worst.” ‘‘Take care, or by Heaven you will repent your rashness. Will you do what I wish you? Mind this is the last time that I shall ask.” ‘‘ No, I will not, Clara.” No other word was spoken. The beauty drew herself up to her full height and looked scornfully down upon her companion. The other’s face was distorted with passion. With lightning rapidity she drew from her bosom a tiny pistol. ‘ She presented it at the face of the beauty and fired. With a scream the victim staggered back and fell dead upon the ground. At the same moment the manager and a score of other persons came rushing terrified into the room, and found her lying there a blood«stained corpse. ~For a moment there was a pause. A pause and an awful silence, in which, with white terror-stricken faces, Flathers and the count stood gazing in horror upon the blood-smeared face of the murdered woman, while a crowd of frightened men and trembling women blocked up the back- ground. She whom the victim had called Clara was the first to speak, In a hoarse whisper she addressed the manager. “Send them away,” she said, ‘‘and send for a doctor. Not that it’s needed, though,” she added to herself. The manager, half frightened out of his wits, did as she bade him. When the door was closed he asked in a trembling voice— ** What has happened ?” “Look to the door. Is any one listening ?”’ Flathers stepped back and opened it quickly. No one was near the other side. **No one can hear us,” he repeated, still in a low voice, and still trembling. ~‘‘ What does it all mean How did she come by her death ?”’ ** From my hand !” replied the woman. The count, who was kneeling by the side of the corpse, started up at these words, and confronted her with flashing eyes. *¢Murdress !”’ he exclaimed. But she met his gaze with contemptuous indifference. ** You choose to call me so,’’ she replied. ‘* But — but how did it happen?” gasped the manager. **T was sitting here alone. She came in and began to quarrel with me. You know the reason. Gradually she worked herself up into a fury. Then suddenly drew a pistol from her breast and tried to take my life. I snatched the weapon from her. We struggled. She threw me down and endeavoured to strangle me. I pointed the pistol at her face and shot her dead.” There was a deep silence when she thus concluded her narration. The two men stood as though transfixed, looking open-mouthed and speechless into the cold white face of the speaker. ‘*Great Heavens! ” cried Flathers at last, finding his tongue. ‘‘ What will be done? I shall be dis- graced and ruined by the exposure that must follow. Yon will be tried for murder, and—”’ j <6 Why 2” The men looked at her in amazement. ‘What? Do you suppose that you can commit such a crime with impunity, and escape all consequences ?’” ‘How will they know that I have committed the crime ?” ‘““How? Why, by your own confession.”’ *¢ What confession ?” *‘ Haven’t you this moment told us that you mire dered her ?”’ ‘“T know I have told you, but I know that it will oo no further.’ ‘But what do you mean? secret ?”” ‘* Very easily.” ‘© Very easily! Why the doctor is on his way here now. The police, perhaps, are at the very door!” ‘¢ Well, and what then ?’’ ‘¢The truth will all come out.”’ ‘‘ Not at all. What can they discover?” ‘¢ They will tind her murdered.” ‘‘ They will find her dead. They will see that she has been shot through the head. By the side of her they will find lying the weapon with which she did the deed.” *¢ She did the deed ?”’ “They will find her own pistol—a pistol which she is known to be in the habit of carrying about with her—which she was seen to have in her possession this very morning.” ‘< Well?” ‘“‘ They will then hear my statement with respect to the way in which she committed suicide.”’ The manager listened in a confused way to all this, evidently too frightened to clearly understand what she was saying, The count, on the contrary, was deeply attentive. When she here paused for a short time he said— ‘And can you explain as clearly why we should assist you in this scheme of yours ?”’ ** Yes.” How can it be kept