May 27, 2025 • 19 mins
On the eve of the high-society wedding between the lovely Juliet Phayre and the enigmatic Duke of Claremanagh, Emmy West pays a visit, eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary Tsarina pearls, jewels meant only for the eyes of the Duchess. When Juliet confesses shes never laid eyes on them, Emmys surprising admission that she has seen them once sets off a series of questions. Considering the last duchess passed away many years ago, who could have possibly worn them? Who is this mysterious Lyda Pavoya? And most importantly, who exactly is the man Juliet is about to marry?
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Chapter eighteen of The Great Pearl Secret. This is a
libivox recording. All libivox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit libivox dot org.
Recording by Marie Fatima de Silva. The Great Pearl Secret
(00:23):
by Charles Norris Williamson, Chapter eighteen, The Bargain. Two days
passed and small as Juliette's faith in Madame Vino. She
did not stir from the house lest the woman should
telephone in her absence. The strain of constant suspense was
(00:46):
like a screw tightening.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Her nerves to break.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
In point, her irritation grew against Jack, who persisted in
warning her that she would repent her suspicions of leed Pavoi.
To his mind, apparently the dancers story accounted for everything.
Leda had volunteered a statement that she had touched the
(01:10):
safe after Clairemanner opened it, and she had offered to
give Sanders her own fingerprints in order that they might
be identified with those taken on the door of the safe,
the only ones found there, with the.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Exception of the Dukes.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Even this fact that there should be no other marks
visible didn't prejudice Jack against the siren, according to him,
and he said to Sanders, the real thief or thiefs
had used rubber gloves. As for Sanders, he tried to
come the Duchesses in patience by assuring her that everything
(01:51):
possible was being done. He even had a theory, But
of what comfort was that to her, as he refused
to tell her what it was until or if he
could obtain positive proof. It hardly interested Juliet that he
should have cabled Monsieur Mayon.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
And learned in reply that there.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Was no scratch on the duplicate ring given Mayon by
pat She hadn't for a moment supposed there would be.
Of course, it merely made matters worse that Maeon should
be left handed, and that a specimen seal he sent
by cabled request should have an entirely different appearance from
(02:34):
those on the covering of the packet.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Also, it seemed stupid.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Rather than intelligent, that de Fasquelles should be watched. The
detective admitted that the Frenchman seemed above suspicion. He had
begged the Duke to open the packet in his presence,
which alone proved his innocence, as Saunders couldn't help seeing.
Besides the friend which police had replied to a wired
(03:02):
demand for Defasquell's dossier by saying that he was a
person of unblemished character. He appeared to deserve the trust
reposed in him by Monsieur Mayen, had saved up a
little money and was engaged to a pretty girl with
a good dot, the daughter of a hotel keeper in Marseille.
(03:26):
Not only that Defasquell was remaining in New York for
the purpose of giving what aid he could. Altogether, Juliette
considered that Saundess's activities were disappointing and Jacques no better.
She refused to meet Lyda and talk with her in person,
as Jack advised her to do, and between her sense
(03:48):
of being deserted and her desperate anxiety for the truth
about pat she found more and more that her thoughts
clung to the broken reed of hope held out by
Madame we Know. At last, when she was making up
her mind to see the woman again without waiting longer,
the message came.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Juliette was in the act.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Of answering a letter from Nancy van Eston begging her
to be at the dress rehearsal for the great show,
which was to benefit the Arminians. There was an undertone
of friendly insistence, which juliet understood very well. Nancy knew
what people were saying about Pat and Pavoya and the pearls.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
If she, Juliette refused to attend this.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Rehearsal to which all her most intimate pals were going,
everyone would draw certain conclusions. She hated to go, but
had written to say that she'd drop in about five o'clock.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
The rehearsal had.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
To be in the afternoon, as the roof Garden Theater
was wanted in.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
The evening for the last night of the review.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
When the telephone bell rang almost in her ear, she
picked up the receiver from the writing table, and her
heart leapt at the sound of Madame Vino's voice. Is
that you yourself, duchess? Yes, well he's here. Can you
come around at once? Yes, said Juliette, and putting down
(05:22):
the receiver. Had begun to get ready when she remembered
the letter which ought to be left for Jack. There
was no time after all to write details. She ought
to have had the note ready for emergencies, but it
hadn't occurred to her till now. Hurriedly, she jotted down
the address of Madame Vino and a request to Jack
(05:44):
to send there. Then, when she had scrawled Captain Manners
Tarascan Hotel and sealed the envelope, the duchess rang for
her maid. I'm going out, Simon, she said, It's now
four thirty. If I'm not back by six point thirty,
it will mean that that I must miss an appointment
(06:06):
with Captain Manners.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
So at that time take this to his hotel yourself.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
He tells me that he's always at home between six
thirty and seven thirty, so he's sure to be there.
But if not, you can ring up mister Sanders at
his private address, which I'll jot down for you, and
ask him to call for Captain Manners's letter, which concerns
his business as well. I expect to come in much sooner, however,
(06:37):
in which case you will simply hand this envelope back
to me. You quite understand, I quite understand, Madame La Luches,
echoed Simon, pinny on her mistress's hat and handing her
a pair of gloves. So well did she understand that
(06:58):
the moment Juliette was out of the house, the car
having been ordered. She examined the back of the said envelope.
In her hurry, Juliette had not sealed it firmly. The
flap was still wet and came loose with almost ridiculous ease.
Simon had been somewhat surprised by the Duchess's instructions her
(07:20):
reason for wishing to acquaint herself with the contents of
the letter, but she was still more surprised by the
letter itself.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
The Duchess was going to.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Madame Vino's, evidently to keep an engagement already made, and
it would seem that she considered herself in some danger.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Could Madame Vino mean to.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Give away Mademoiselle Amaranthe's connection with the Inner Circle? Simone
told herself that this was an absurd of our fetched suspicion,
because it was not probable that Madame Vino knew anything
about her activities. Besides, why should woman, even if she
knew them, betray valuable secrets of the paper and.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Its best correspondence.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
It was but an idea born of an uncomfortable conscience.
Another name for fear, Juliette was admitted Madame Vino's flat
by the irrespectable creature in black silk who had impressed
her so favorably two days before. Again, she was taken
into the cubicle of a private waiting room, and then
(08:28):
Madame came at once from her own room. He's still here,
she announced, having closed the door. Everything is wonderful, but
different from what I expected. Who is the man, Juliette
abruptly asked, I don't know. I haven't been able yet
to make him. Tell me that he seemed so obstinate
(08:49):
that I thought i'd better extract more important details, first
in case in his struggles not to obey, I should
lose my control of him, which does happen now, and
then in search experiments. You mean to tell me that
this man, whoever he is, actually came to you from
Heaven knows where because you willed him to come, and
(09:12):
that you hypnotized him to find out about my husband.
I mean just that, answered Madame Vino triumphantly. I've done
this sort of thing before. It's the secret of my
success over other psychics. I found out that your husband
was kidnapped, just as I thought. As for the pearls
so far, as I can understand he had them on
(09:35):
him anyhow, they're in these people's possession. But you'd better
come into my room and talk to the man. Is
he still hypnotized, Juliet wanted to know, Irritated by her
feeling that she was being deceived, yet eager and curious. No, not,
now I've released.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Him from the influence.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
He was going pale about the lips. Shows a weak heart,
and I was scared. I can't take big risks of
that sort. But when I explained what I'd got out
of him, and when I'd even made him put on
paper a short statement of his own handwriting, he saw
that he might as well be frank. If the statement
(10:20):
was signed, you must have got his name, and if not,
what you sees it, he thinks he's signed it for
I covered up the place where the name should be,
as if accidentally, and snatched the paper away, as though
I was afraid he'd grab it for me. It was
when I was willing him so hard to sign that
he began to look queer, so I had to give
(10:42):
it up. I see, said Juliet. Well take me into
the next room and let me try what I can
get out of him. You can get everything out of him, Duchess,
and you can get back your husband and your pearls.
That is, if you're willing to pay the price this
man asks. Even in his sleep, he was affirm about that.
(11:05):
And he hasn't told where the Duke is. Juliette did
not believe that the man knew where the Duke was.
It was so much more likely that the whole business
was a trick to extract money and give nothing a
value in return. Still, she was more eager to see
the occupant of Madame Vino's room than she had ever
(11:27):
been to see anyone except pat in the blessed old days.
The green curtains were drawn, and though twilight was falling
out of doors, the only lamp was a small, green
shaded one on the table of the crystal. The man
who stood facing the two women as they entered was
in shadow, all except his hands, which showed white and large, crossed,
(11:50):
unfolded arms. It was an instant before juliet realized that
something more than shadow obscured the features. Then her piercing
eyes made out that a layer of black crape was
drawn across them, as far up as the forehead, as
far down as the mouth beneath this mask, a beard
(12:11):
protruded like a French. But Juliette told himself it might
be false. Oh, you have masked yourself, exclaimed Madame Vino.
He wasn't masked when I left him. Duchess juliet made
no comment, though if the man and woman were in
collusion it was probable. The Madame lied. There's no objection
(12:33):
to my being masked, I suppose, said the man. I
have a right to protect myself. Does he speak rather
like an Englishman? Or do I imagine it? Juliette wondered.
I don't object, she said aloud. I don't care who
you are. If you can give me news of my husband,
and if you can bring him back to me, I
(12:55):
can give you news now, the man replied, And you
can have him back tomorrow night, if you choose. What
are your conditions, juliet asked. One million dollars for the
Duke and the pearls. Oh, said the Duchess, And what
for the duke without the pearls? We don't treat separately, indeed,
(13:15):
And what if I refuse to treat at all? In
that case, you'll never see your husband again. On this side,
the grave. You mean you'll murder him if I don't
pay ransom, Not at all.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
This is the Duke's own affair. He's in it with us,
that is.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
The man spoke quickly when anger flamed on Juliette's face,
and he must have feared that she would cease bargaining
for the man capable of holding up his wife. That is,
he's in it to this extent. He's taken a note
not to give us away. He was hurt in an accident,
an affair.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Neither he nor you.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Would like to have come out, And I am a
friend of mine saved his life.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
When we'd done that.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
As we're poor men, we didn't see why we shouldn't
get something for ourselves. We're amateurs at these things, my
mate and I, and we were at to odds how
to approach you, madam, without risking trouble.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Then I had a hunch to consult.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
This lady, dreamed about her, felt I must come, Madame.
Vino gave Juliette a look. Now I find she was
mesmerizing me or something of the sort. But she's given
me good advice, and she's brought you and me together,
so maybe all's well.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
That ends.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Well, where's my husband? Asked Juliette, where I live? And
you could have me followed all around New York without
finding out where that is. I'm up to every dodge
of that kind. I can tell you for what my
friend and I the Duke standing by us because of
what we've done for him. What we propose is this,
(14:58):
you get hold of a me billion dollars without telling
anyone what the money is for. We'll know if you
play is false. We have our spies. It must be
all in notes. Then, if this lady, Madame Vino is
willing to see the thing through, you'll bring to her
flat the whole sun, only with the notes cut in two.
(15:21):
That plan is to prove my good faith. An hour
after the Duke shall arrive with the pearls in an
auto at your own house, and the remaining halves of
the notes shall be handed to the chauffeur by you
in person before your husband leaves the car.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Does that scheme look good to you?
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Juliette pause for an instant, but not consider the money question,
for she would have given not one million, but all
the millions she possessed to have pat with her alive
and safe not did she now care a straw whether
or not these two creatures were in a plot together.
She hesitated only because it seemed too good to be true.
(16:04):
The path should be given back to her so easily.
She had suffered so much, had realized so bitterly her
need of him guilty or innocent, that she was actually
dazzled by the man's offer. And when she had come herself,
by drawing a deep breath or two, she answered, yes,
it seems good to me. Then it is good all right?
(16:28):
How soon can you do this? How soon can you
get hold of the money tomorrow? Of course it's too
late today.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Tomorrow. Then come here this same time. Can you manage that?
Speaker 1 (16:41):
I will manage it, Juliet said. She remembered that she
had written to Nancy van Neston, meaning to attend the rehearsal.
The letter wasn't posted yet, but she would send it
and go to the theater for a few minutes. From
there she would come here to Madame Venus. No one
could think then that she had avoided meeting leda pavoya.
(17:04):
But if she had a pressing engagement to keep, it
wouldn't be her fault. If there were no time for introductions. Besides, Jack,
Manners and Sanders were supposed to be coming tomorrow afternoon
to discuss some new detail in the Duke's study. What
Juliette didn't know the rehearsal would give her an excuse
(17:26):
for absence while they were there, and as it was
to meet Lida, Jack would be pleased.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
To have her go.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Remember, Madam, if you don't keep the business strictly to yourself,
the Duke won't materialize the money in da mask went on.
I assure you not on my honor, because that's a
minus quantity to you, but on your husband's. You can
take my word for this. And furthermore, if you attempt
to trick as, you'll never have a chance again.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
If there were as.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Little chance of your tricking mee as of my tricking you,
Juliette exclaimed, I should be happy. Be happy, then retorted
the man, the thing settled, I'm off, and I'll tell
the Duke that you send him a good message. He
was out of the room before Juliette had realized that
he meant to suit his action to his word. With
(18:19):
a wild impulse, she would have sprung after him to
ask other questions, but the door slammed.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
In her face.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
She was too late, and besides, what would have been
gained by keeping the man a moment more. I don't
think there's anything further to do or say. But let
him go quietly, Madame Vino advised. Juliette turned upon her.
I believe you're in this, she cried. The elder woman
smiled indulgently, as at a pertulant child. My dear, I'm not,
(18:49):
she said, But I can't prove that if you don't
want to take my word. Oh well, it does matter,
Juliette sighed. What do I owe you for your services?
What you think they're worth? Pay me tomorrow, Madame replied, tomorrow.
It seemed that juliet could not live till then end
(19:13):
of chapter eighteen
Chapter eighteen of The Great Pearl Secret. This is a
libivox recording. All libivox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit libivox dot org.
Recording by Marie Fatima de Silva. The Great Pearl Secret
(00:23):
by Charles Norris Williamson, Chapter eighteen, The Bargain. Two days
passed and small as Juliette's faith in Madame Vino. She
did not stir from the house lest the woman should
telephone in her absence. The strain of constant suspense was
(00:46):
like a screw tightening.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Her nerves to break.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
In point, her irritation grew against Jack, who persisted in
warning her that she would repent her suspicions of leed Pavoi.
To his mind, apparently the dancers story accounted for everything.
Leda had volunteered a statement that she had touched the
(01:10):
safe after Clairemanner opened it, and she had offered to
give Sanders her own fingerprints in order that they might
be identified with those taken on the door of the safe,
the only ones found there, with the.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Exception of the Dukes.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Even this fact that there should be no other marks
visible didn't prejudice Jack against the siren, according to him,
and he said to Sanders, the real thief or thiefs
had used rubber gloves. As for Sanders, he tried to
come the Duchesses in patience by assuring her that everything
(01:51):
possible was being done. He even had a theory, But
of what comfort was that to her, as he refused
to tell her what it was until or if he
could obtain positive proof. It hardly interested Juliet that he
should have cabled Monsieur Mayon.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
And learned in reply that there.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Was no scratch on the duplicate ring given Mayon by
pat She hadn't for a moment supposed there would be.
Of course, it merely made matters worse that Maeon should
be left handed, and that a specimen seal he sent
by cabled request should have an entirely different appearance from
(02:34):
those on the covering of the packet.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Also, it seemed stupid.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Rather than intelligent, that de Fasquelles should be watched. The
detective admitted that the Frenchman seemed above suspicion. He had
begged the Duke to open the packet in his presence,
which alone proved his innocence, as Saunders couldn't help seeing.
Besides the friend which police had replied to a wired
(03:02):
demand for Defasquell's dossier by saying that he was a
person of unblemished character. He appeared to deserve the trust
reposed in him by Monsieur Mayen, had saved up a
little money and was engaged to a pretty girl with
a good dot, the daughter of a hotel keeper in Marseille.
(03:26):
Not only that Defasquell was remaining in New York for
the purpose of giving what aid he could. Altogether, Juliette
considered that Saundess's activities were disappointing and Jacques no better.
She refused to meet Lyda and talk with her in person,
as Jack advised her to do, and between her sense
(03:48):
of being deserted and her desperate anxiety for the truth
about pat she found more and more that her thoughts
clung to the broken reed of hope held out by
Madame we Know. At last, when she was making up
her mind to see the woman again without waiting longer,
the message came.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Juliette was in the act.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Of answering a letter from Nancy van Eston begging her
to be at the dress rehearsal for the great show,
which was to benefit the Arminians. There was an undertone
of friendly insistence, which juliet understood very well. Nancy knew
what people were saying about Pat and Pavoya and the pearls.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
If she, Juliette refused to attend this.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Rehearsal to which all her most intimate pals were going,
everyone would draw certain conclusions. She hated to go, but
had written to say that she'd drop in about five o'clock.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
The rehearsal had.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
To be in the afternoon, as the roof Garden Theater
was wanted in.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
The evening for the last night of the review.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
When the telephone bell rang almost in her ear, she
picked up the receiver from the writing table, and her
heart leapt at the sound of Madame Vino's voice. Is
that you yourself, duchess? Yes, well he's here. Can you
come around at once? Yes, said Juliette, and putting down
(05:22):
the receiver. Had begun to get ready when she remembered
the letter which ought to be left for Jack. There
was no time after all to write details. She ought
to have had the note ready for emergencies, but it
hadn't occurred to her till now. Hurriedly, she jotted down
the address of Madame Vino and a request to Jack
(05:44):
to send there. Then, when she had scrawled Captain Manners
Tarascan Hotel and sealed the envelope, the duchess rang for
her maid. I'm going out, Simon, she said, It's now
four thirty. If I'm not back by six point thirty,
it will mean that that I must miss an appointment
(06:06):
with Captain Manners.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
So at that time take this to his hotel yourself.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
He tells me that he's always at home between six
thirty and seven thirty, so he's sure to be there.
But if not, you can ring up mister Sanders at
his private address, which I'll jot down for you, and
ask him to call for Captain Manners's letter, which concerns
his business as well. I expect to come in much sooner, however,
(06:37):
in which case you will simply hand this envelope back
to me. You quite understand, I quite understand, Madame La Luches,
echoed Simon, pinny on her mistress's hat and handing her
a pair of gloves. So well did she understand that
(06:58):
the moment Juliette was out of the house, the car
having been ordered. She examined the back of the said envelope.
In her hurry, Juliette had not sealed it firmly. The
flap was still wet and came loose with almost ridiculous ease.
Simon had been somewhat surprised by the Duchess's instructions her
(07:20):
reason for wishing to acquaint herself with the contents of
the letter, but she was still more surprised by the
letter itself.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
The Duchess was going to.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Madame Vino's, evidently to keep an engagement already made, and
it would seem that she considered herself in some danger.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Could Madame Vino mean to.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Give away Mademoiselle Amaranthe's connection with the Inner Circle? Simone
told herself that this was an absurd of our fetched suspicion,
because it was not probable that Madame Vino knew anything
about her activities. Besides, why should woman, even if she
knew them, betray valuable secrets of the paper and.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Its best correspondence.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
It was but an idea born of an uncomfortable conscience.
Another name for fear, Juliette was admitted Madame Vino's flat
by the irrespectable creature in black silk who had impressed
her so favorably two days before. Again, she was taken
into the cubicle of a private waiting room, and then
(08:28):
Madame came at once from her own room. He's still here,
she announced, having closed the door. Everything is wonderful, but
different from what I expected. Who is the man, Juliette
abruptly asked, I don't know. I haven't been able yet
to make him. Tell me that he seemed so obstinate
(08:49):
that I thought i'd better extract more important details, first
in case in his struggles not to obey, I should
lose my control of him, which does happen now, and
then in search experiments. You mean to tell me that
this man, whoever he is, actually came to you from
Heaven knows where because you willed him to come, and
(09:12):
that you hypnotized him to find out about my husband.
I mean just that, answered Madame Vino triumphantly. I've done
this sort of thing before. It's the secret of my
success over other psychics. I found out that your husband
was kidnapped, just as I thought. As for the pearls
so far, as I can understand he had them on
(09:35):
him anyhow, they're in these people's possession. But you'd better
come into my room and talk to the man. Is
he still hypnotized, Juliet wanted to know, Irritated by her
feeling that she was being deceived, yet eager and curious. No, not,
now I've released.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Him from the influence.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
He was going pale about the lips. Shows a weak heart,
and I was scared. I can't take big risks of
that sort. But when I explained what I'd got out
of him, and when I'd even made him put on
paper a short statement of his own handwriting, he saw
that he might as well be frank. If the statement
(10:20):
was signed, you must have got his name, and if not,
what you sees it, he thinks he's signed it for
I covered up the place where the name should be,
as if accidentally, and snatched the paper away, as though
I was afraid he'd grab it for me. It was
when I was willing him so hard to sign that
he began to look queer, so I had to give
(10:42):
it up. I see, said Juliet. Well take me into
the next room and let me try what I can
get out of him. You can get everything out of him, Duchess,
and you can get back your husband and your pearls.
That is, if you're willing to pay the price this
man asks. Even in his sleep, he was affirm about that.
(11:05):
And he hasn't told where the Duke is. Juliette did
not believe that the man knew where the Duke was.
It was so much more likely that the whole business
was a trick to extract money and give nothing a
value in return. Still, she was more eager to see
the occupant of Madame Vino's room than she had ever
(11:27):
been to see anyone except pat in the blessed old days.
The green curtains were drawn, and though twilight was falling
out of doors, the only lamp was a small, green
shaded one on the table of the crystal. The man
who stood facing the two women as they entered was
in shadow, all except his hands, which showed white and large, crossed,
(11:50):
unfolded arms. It was an instant before juliet realized that
something more than shadow obscured the features. Then her piercing
eyes made out that a layer of black crape was
drawn across them, as far up as the forehead, as
far down as the mouth beneath this mask, a beard
(12:11):
protruded like a French. But Juliette told himself it might
be false. Oh, you have masked yourself, exclaimed Madame Vino.
He wasn't masked when I left him. Duchess juliet made
no comment, though if the man and woman were in
collusion it was probable. The Madame lied. There's no objection
(12:33):
to my being masked, I suppose, said the man. I
have a right to protect myself. Does he speak rather
like an Englishman? Or do I imagine it? Juliette wondered.
I don't object, she said aloud. I don't care who
you are. If you can give me news of my husband,
and if you can bring him back to me, I
(12:55):
can give you news now, the man replied, And you
can have him back tomorrow night, if you choose. What
are your conditions, juliet asked. One million dollars for the
Duke and the pearls. Oh, said the Duchess, And what
for the duke without the pearls? We don't treat separately, indeed,
(13:15):
And what if I refuse to treat at all? In
that case, you'll never see your husband again. On this side,
the grave. You mean you'll murder him if I don't
pay ransom, Not at all.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
This is the Duke's own affair. He's in it with us,
that is.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
The man spoke quickly when anger flamed on Juliette's face,
and he must have feared that she would cease bargaining
for the man capable of holding up his wife. That is,
he's in it to this extent. He's taken a note
not to give us away. He was hurt in an accident,
an affair.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Neither he nor you.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Would like to have come out, And I am a
friend of mine saved his life.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
When we'd done that.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
As we're poor men, we didn't see why we shouldn't
get something for ourselves. We're amateurs at these things, my
mate and I, and we were at to odds how
to approach you, madam, without risking trouble.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Then I had a hunch to consult.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
This lady, dreamed about her, felt I must come, Madame.
Vino gave Juliette a look. Now I find she was
mesmerizing me or something of the sort. But she's given
me good advice, and she's brought you and me together,
so maybe all's well.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
That ends.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Well, where's my husband? Asked Juliette, where I live? And
you could have me followed all around New York without
finding out where that is. I'm up to every dodge
of that kind. I can tell you for what my
friend and I the Duke standing by us because of
what we've done for him. What we propose is this,
(14:58):
you get hold of a me billion dollars without telling
anyone what the money is for. We'll know if you
play is false. We have our spies. It must be
all in notes. Then, if this lady, Madame Vino is
willing to see the thing through, you'll bring to her
flat the whole sun, only with the notes cut in two.
(15:21):
That plan is to prove my good faith. An hour
after the Duke shall arrive with the pearls in an
auto at your own house, and the remaining halves of
the notes shall be handed to the chauffeur by you
in person before your husband leaves the car.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Does that scheme look good to you?
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Juliette pause for an instant, but not consider the money question,
for she would have given not one million, but all
the millions she possessed to have pat with her alive
and safe not did she now care a straw whether
or not these two creatures were in a plot together.
She hesitated only because it seemed too good to be true.
(16:04):
The path should be given back to her so easily.
She had suffered so much, had realized so bitterly her
need of him guilty or innocent, that she was actually
dazzled by the man's offer. And when she had come herself,
by drawing a deep breath or two, she answered, yes,
it seems good to me. Then it is good all right?
(16:28):
How soon can you do this? How soon can you
get hold of the money tomorrow? Of course it's too
late today.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Tomorrow. Then come here this same time. Can you manage that?
Speaker 1 (16:41):
I will manage it, Juliet said. She remembered that she
had written to Nancy van Neston, meaning to attend the rehearsal.
The letter wasn't posted yet, but she would send it
and go to the theater for a few minutes. From
there she would come here to Madame Venus. No one
could think then that she had avoided meeting leda pavoya.
(17:04):
But if she had a pressing engagement to keep, it
wouldn't be her fault. If there were no time for introductions. Besides, Jack,
Manners and Sanders were supposed to be coming tomorrow afternoon
to discuss some new detail in the Duke's study. What
Juliette didn't know the rehearsal would give her an excuse
(17:26):
for absence while they were there, and as it was
to meet Lida, Jack would be pleased.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
To have her go.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Remember, Madam, if you don't keep the business strictly to yourself,
the Duke won't materialize the money in da mask went on.
I assure you not on my honor, because that's a
minus quantity to you, but on your husband's. You can
take my word for this. And furthermore, if you attempt
to trick as, you'll never have a chance again.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
If there were as.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Little chance of your tricking mee as of my tricking you,
Juliette exclaimed, I should be happy. Be happy, then retorted
the man, the thing settled, I'm off, and I'll tell
the Duke that you send him a good message. He
was out of the room before Juliette had realized that
he meant to suit his action to his word. With
(18:19):
a wild impulse, she would have sprung after him to
ask other questions, but the door slammed.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
In her face.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
She was too late, and besides, what would have been
gained by keeping the man a moment more. I don't
think there's anything further to do or say. But let
him go quietly, Madame Vino advised. Juliette turned upon her.
I believe you're in this, she cried. The elder woman
smiled indulgently, as at a pertulant child. My dear, I'm not,
(18:49):
she said, But I can't prove that if you don't
want to take my word. Oh well, it does matter,
Juliette sighed. What do I owe you for your services?
What you think they're worth? Pay me tomorrow, Madame replied, tomorrow.
It seemed that juliet could not live till then end
(19:13):
of chapter eighteen
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