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Chapter six

A Shocking Night

Early the next morning, Francis looked out the window of his room. A young lady was walking through the garden. Francis thought she was very beautiful. He also thought that she looked very kind.

‘She may be my sister. But if she’s not, maybe she’ll be my wife one day,’ thought Francis.

On his way out of his room, Francis saw a porter. He stopped him and asked, ‘Who lives in that big house with green shutters next door?’

‘A rich English gentleman called John Vandeleur,’ replied the porter.

‘Is the lovely young lady his daughter,’ asked Francis.

‘Yes. That’s Miss Vandeleur. Her father’s very rich, but she does all the work because there are no servants,’ answered the porter.

For the rest of the day, Francis did not see John Vandeleur or his daughter. He was very excited because it was finally Sunday.

‘I have to go to the theatre tonight. Who knows what will happen,’ thought Francis.

That night at the theatre Francis went to the seat that his ticket showed. He looked over at the box to his right. John Vandeleur and his daughter were there. Francis felt his cheeks turn red.

‘What are they saying to each other,’ he wondered.

He stared at the stage for a while, he did not want the Vandeleurs to see him looking at them. But when he went to the box to his right at the end, the Vandeleurs were no longer there.

After the play Francis walked back to his room. He felt even more confused than before.

Nothing else happened the next day, or the next, which was Tuesday. Suddenly, Francis thought of something.

‘Now I remember! The young man that Vandeleur was talking to is coming to his house at seven o’clock,’ thought Francis.

A few minutes before seven, Francis looked out of his window. A table was set for dinner in the garden. At exactly seven o’clock, the young man who seemed a priest arrived. John Vandeleur showed him into the garden.

Mr Rolles spoke very little and looked very serious. John Vandeleur, instead, often laughed loudly. After the two men finished their dinner, Miss Vandeleur brought the coffee tray.

John Vandeleur stood up quickly and said, ‘And now, let me serve you the coffee.’

He went to the small table near the dinner table. He poured the coffee into two cups. Then he poured another liquid into the smaller cup. He did this so quickly that Francis was not sure he really saw him do it. But then Francis saw John Vandeleur give Mr Rolles the smaller cup.

‘Maybe that didn’t happen and I really didn’t see what I think I saw,’ thought Francis.

Suddenly, Francis heard a loud ‘thump!’ Mr Rolles was lying on the grass.

‘Oh Father, what did you do? Is he dead,’ cried Miss Vandeleur.

‘Silence! Mr Rolles is not dead. He only fainted. Help me take him inside,’ said John Vandeleur.

The two took Mr Rolles by the arms and legs and went into the house.

‘I think they’re in trouble. I must do something quickly,’ thought Francis.

Without thinking he climbed out of his window and down the big tree into John Vandeleur’s garden. He did not knock on the door, but ran straight into the house. He saw Mr Vandeleur standing over Mr Rolles’s body. Mr Vandeleur then took something out of Mr Rolles’s pocket. He quickly gave it to his daughter.

Suddenly Francis cried, ‘Father, let me help you. I won’t ask any questions.’

‘Father? What is this? Who are you,’ cried John Vandeleur surprised by Francis’s appearance.

Then Mr Vandeleur realised who he was, and laughed, ‘Oh, I see you’re Scrymgeour! I’m not your father: you’re my brother’s illegitimate son. You’ve entered my private residence by force. And what’s more, this is a bad moment because my guest has fainted!’ John Vandeleur was angry with Francis. ‘My brother wanted you to marry my daughter. He made you come here to Paris and go to the theatre on Sunday night. This was so my daughter could see you for the first time. Well, she saw you and she didn’t like what she saw. Now go, and don’t ever come back here again,’ he ordered.

Francis quietly followed Miss Vandeleur to the door. He felt sad. Miss Vandeleur opened the door and said, ‘What my father said to you isn’t true. I told him I wanted to meet you again before deciding. I’m very sorry he was so horrible to you.’

‘I’d like to see you again,’ said Francis. ‘Please give me something so that I can remember you.’

She smiled and took something from her pocket. Then she whispered, ‘Please take this keepsake. Promise not to look at it until you’re safe. Now, go quickly!’

Francis started running down the road when he heard a terrible cry from the Vandeleur house - it was Mr Rolles. Francis ran for his life and finally sat down at the Cafe Americain. Then he remembered what was in his pocket and took it out. It was a leather jewellery box.

‘I saw this before at the house. It’s what Mr Vandeleur took out of Mr Rolles’s pocket,’ Francis thought suddenly.

He opened the box and got the shock of his life. In the box on the green velvet there was the largest and most beautiful diamond Francis ever saw.