Chapter 42

           BUT,THEN,onedayinMarch,RichiswassittinginthesalonandwatchedasLaurewalkedoutintothegarden.Shewaswearingabluedress,herredhairfallingdownoveritandblazinginthesunlight-hehadneverseenherlooksobeautiful.Shedisappearedbehindahedge.Andittookabouttwoheartbeatslongerthanhehadexpectedbeforesheemergedagain-andhewasfrightenedtodeath,forduringthosetwoheartbeatshethoughthehadlostherforever.Thatsamenightheawokeoutofaterrifyingdream,thedetailsofwhichhecouldnolongerremember,butithadhadtodowithLaure,andheburstintoherroomconvincedthatshewasdead,laythereinherbedmurdered,violated,andshorn-andfoundherunharmed.Hewentbacktohischamber,bathedinsweatandtremblingwithagitation,no,notwithagitation,butwithfear,forhefinallyadmittedittohimself:itwasnakedfearthathadseizedhim,andinadmittingithegrewcalmerandhisthoughtsclearer.Tobehonest,hehadnotbelievedintheefficacyofthebishop’sanathemafromthestart,northatthemurdererwasnowprowlingaboutGrenoble,northathehadeverlefttown.No,hewasstilllivinghere,amongthecitizensofGrasse,andatsomepointhewouldstrikeagain.RichishadseenseveralofthegirlsmurderedduringAugustandSeptember.Thesighthadhorrifiedhim,andatthesametime,hehadtoadmit,fascinatedhim,fortheyall,eachinherownspecialway,hadbeenofdazzlingbeauty.HeneverwouldhavethoughtthattherewassomuchunrecognizedbeautyinGrasse.Themurdererhadopenedhiseyes.Themurdererpossessedexquisitetaste.