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It was at Perrin's instigation that I had asked to become a Societaire, and now I regretted it very much. During all the latter part of the year I only played occasionally. My time was then occupied in looking after the building of a pretty little mansion which I was having erected at the corner of the Avenue de Villiers and the Rue Fortuny.
I reminded him of his promise made in former days; of his visit to my hotel in the Avenue de Villiers; of the cowardly and underhand manner in which he had sacrificed me, at Perrin's request and on the wishes of the friends of Sophie. I spoke vehemently, without allowing him to edge in a single word.
"Ah if they went to see Perrin's old mother," said Jessie, "it would oblige them to care a great deal, for he was her only son." "Ay, her only child!" added Mrs Davidson. While she was yet speaking, it so happened that Duncan McKay junior himself entered the room, with that over-done free-and-easiness which sometimes characterises a man who is ill at ease.
And her mind wearied itself by turning over and over some four or five ideas. "I must go to Madame Royaumont to-morrow, to try on my gown. Yesterday I went with Fagette to Jeanne Perrin's dressing-room; she was dressing, and she showed her hairy legs, as if she was proud of them. She's not ugly, Jeanne Perrin; indeed, she has a fine head; but it is her expression that I dislike.
But Perrin's threats of appeal to the Royal Court awed him into a promise to give out money to pay for the expenses of his wife's illness. Corbet, himself utterly fearless of disease, frightened the drunkard into further dread of the house: and Ellenor had it all her own way. But it was of no avail.
Another point, justifying the supposition of foul play, was the significant fact that Perrin's gun, with his name rudely carved on the stock, still lay in the camp undischarged. "See here is something," said one woman to the other in the Cree tongue, as they were about to quit the camp. She held up a knife which she had found half buried near the fire.
Perrin's, David," he added, "May I call you so? Well, then, I have just come from Dr. Perrin's, and he says you may be moved to Les Iles this very afternoon. Why, upon my word," he exclaimed, staring at me, "you don't look pleased. One would think you were going to the calabozo." "Ah," said Nick, slyly, "I know. He has tasted freedom, Monsieur, and Madame la Vicomtesse will be in command again."
"Let me in, Corbet, quick, I bring bad news." In a moment Cartier stood in the kitchen and cried breathlessly, "Have you seen Ellenor? She hasn't been home since early this afternoon!" The ruddy colour left Perrin's tanned face. "My God, no, I haven't seen her! What, then, can have happened?"
Although a dark night, there was sufficient moon-light to enable him to pick his steps, but he had not advanced more than two miles when he came upon the track of a party that had preceded him. This rendered the walking more easy, and as he plodded along he reflected that the wolves would soon find Perrin's body, and, by tearing it to pieces render recognition of the victim impossible.
All shuddered at his end. Two prayed, in defiance of their scruples, for his wicked, wild soul. And these were only an old woman and her fisherman son. It was a still, beautiful evening in summer. Perrin Corbet was free till ten o'clock, when he would go fishing with Jean Cartier. It was very lonely now in the cottage, for Perrin's mother was dead, and he spent very little time at home.
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