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The Heart of a Mystery. Elizabeth Thomasina Meade
Читать онлайн.Название The Heart of a Mystery
Год выпуска 0
isbn 4064066409302
Автор произведения Elizabeth Thomasina Meade
Жанр Документальная литература
Издательство Bookwire
He had scarcely spoken before we were plunged into darkness; the electric light had gone out.
"That infernal dynamo has broken down again!" he said. "It is really too bad. Please hand me the matches and we will light a lamp; you will find them just there on the bench; run your hand along and you will touch the box."
I rose to comply, guided by a streak of moonlight which entered through a narrow window.
"I cannot find any matches," I said. "Just wait a moment; I will go to the dining-room and get some."
I opened the door and began to climb the stairs. I had not gone up a dozen steps when I heard him call out—
"All right, here they are; come back, please."
I had just turned to do so, when a sudden and terrific explosion occurred, an explosion of such awful violence that I felt myself hurled up against the stonework as if by an unseen arm. For a moment I was so stunned that I could scarcely understand what had happened. Then self-control returned to me and I went quickly back to the laboratory. A terrible sight met my gaze. The room was absolutely wrecked, the window-panes and sashes blown out, and the floor strewn with shattered furniture. In one corner, evidently propelled there by the violence of the explosion, lay the body of my poor host. I rushed to raise him up, but one glance was sufficient to show that he was quite dead. I was just about to go for assistance, when Mademoiselle, followed by several servants, hurried in. On seeing me she gave a sharp cry, and I shall never forget the curious look of horror and intense disappointment on her face. Then she seemed to recover herself; she stood by the door with both hands raised.
"Ah!" she cried, "I warned him; so it has happened at last."
"What do you mean?" I said. "Can you throw any light on this fearful thing?"
"I can," she replied. "I warned him, but he would never listen. Come upstairs, and I will tell you."
"You shall tell me here," I answered.
"Bring a lamp at once," I continued, turning to the servant.
He turned to obey. Miss Delacourt and I stood facing each other. The moonlight coming in through the shattered windows fell on both our faces. All the distrust I felt for her shone, doubtless, in my eyes. Just for a moment her eyes quailed under my gaze. A man came down with a lamp.
"Now for your explanation," I said.
"Do you doubt my word?" she asked.
"I doubt everything about you," I replied. "I doubted you from the first moment I saw you; now I doubt you terribly."
"And yet you are wrong," she said; "but some men cannot help being suspicious."
"I await your explanation," I said.
"And I will give it," she said. "Have you ever heard of marsh gas?"
"Certainly."
"Then you will soon be at the bottom of this awful accident. Marsh gas is to be found in places where vegetation decomposes. It is the same thing as fire-damp, which causes so many mining disasters. Its deadliness consists in its not being detectable by any of the senses, as it has no colour or smell; but when mixed with the air it forms one of the most explosive gaseous mixtures there is. Now, I have often suspected that this gas found its way into M. Laroque's laboratory from the moat. Of course, even if it did come in, he would be safe as long as only the electric light was burning; but any unguarded flame, even that caused by the lighting of a match, would bring on an explosion. But why were you not also present when the explosion took place?"
"I went to find some matches," I answered. "The electric light went out suddenly. I could not find the match-box, and went upstairs to get some. Mademoiselle, why did the light go out? What were you doing when you bent over the cylinder? Why did you push it behind the curtain? I looked behind the curtain when you left the room, and found two cylinders; they may have contained compressed air or anything."
She turned white.
"You will be sorry for this," she said. "Your suspicions are past enduring." She turned and left the room.
How I spent the rest of that night I can scarcely tell, but towards morning I went to my bedroom and lay down without undressing. I had scarcely dropped asleep before I was aroused by someone touching me. Looking up, I saw the old servant Paul.
"The carriage is at the door, sir. A train for Paris leaves Bévallon in less than an hour. I will drive you to the station. You are not safe in this house, Mr. Phenays."
"In Heaven's name what do you mean?" I asked.
He bent near and spoke in a whisper.
"May God forgive me if I am wrong, sir, but I must speak. There was nothing the matter with the dynamo. I saw Mademoiselle with her own hands turn off the current."
I raised myself on my elbow and stared hard at the old servant.
"I will take your advice, Paul," I said, "and get back to Paris at once."
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