CORNER IN SARAH BERNHARDT’S LIBRARY, SHOWING MADAME BERNHARDT’S WRITING TABLE ON THE LEFT.
Who can say what schemes had floated through the minds of the poor fellow, who was perhaps half starved or perhaps excited by a clever, inventive brain? Perhaps when he stopped and looked at the jeweler’s window, he said to himself: “There is jewelry there worth 1,000,000 francs. If it were all mine I would sell it and go back to Belgium. What joy I could give to my poor mother who is blinding herself with work by gaslight, and I could help my sister to get married.” Or perhaps he was an inventor, and he thought to himself: “Ah! if only I had the money which that jewelry represents, I could bring out my invention myself, instead of selling my patent to some highly esteemed rascal, who will buy it from me for a crust of bread. What would it matter to the artiste? Ah, if only I had the money!” Ah, if I had the money!... Perhaps the poor fellow cried with rage to think of all this wealth belonging to one person. Perhaps the idea of crime germinated in this way in a mind which had hitherto been pure.
CHAPTER XXIX
FROM THE GULF TO CANADA AGAIN
We arrived at Cincinnati safe and sound. We gave three performances there and set off once more for New Orleans. Now, I thought, we shall have some sunshine and we shall be able to warm our poor limbs, stiffened with three months of mortal cold. We shall be able to open our windows, and breathe fresh air instead of the suffocating and anæmia-giving steam heat. I fell asleep and dreams of warmth and sweet scents lulled me in my slumber. A knock at my door roused me suddenly, and my dog with ears erect sniffed at the door, but as he did not growl I knew it was some one of our party. I opened the door and Jarrett, followed by Abbey, made signs to me not to speak. Jarrett came in on tiptoes and closed the door again.
“Well, what is it now?” I asked.
“Why,” replied Jarrett, “the incessant rain during the last twelve days has swollen the river to such a height that the bridge across the bay of St. Louis threatens to give way. If we go back we shall require three or four days.”
I was furious. Three or four days and to go back to the snow again. Ah, no, I felt I must have sunshine!
“Why can we not pass? Oh, heavens, what shall we do!” I exclaimed.
“Well, the engine driver is here. He thinks that he might get across, but he has only just married, and he will try the crossing on condition that you give him $2,500, which he will at once send to Mobile where his father and wife live. If we get safely to the other side he will give you back this money, but if not it will belong to his family.”