I wanted to die. I lived,
and wrote an infamous letter to my mother, and yielded to Hector's
prayers, because he pleaded with me in the name of my--of our
child!"
M. Lecoq, impatient at the loss of time, tried to say something;
but Laurence would not listen to him.
"But what matter?" she continued. "I loved him, followed him, and
am his: Constancy at all hazards is the only excuse for a fault like
mine. I will do my duty. I cannot be innocent when Hector has
committed a crime; I desire to suffer half the punishment."
She spoke with such remarkable animation that the detective
despaired of calming her, when two whistles in the street struck
his ear. Tremorel was returning and there was not a moment to be
lost. He suddenly seized Laurence by the arm.
"You will tell all this to the judges, Madame," said he, sternly.
"My orders are only for M. de Tremorel. Here is the warrant to
arrest him."
He took out the warrant and laid it upon the table. Laurence, by
the force of her will, had become almost calm.
"You will let me speak five minutes with the Count de Tremorel,
will you not?" she asked.
M. Lecoq was delighted; he had looked for this request, and
expected it.
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