Eugene reproached him
for his extravagance and folly, and refused to aid him; an encounter
ensued, in which Eugene fell. He, Gabriel Le Noir, fled pursued by
the curse of Cain, and reached his own quarters before even his
absence had been suspected. His agency in the death of his brother
was not suspected even by his accomplice in other crimes, the outlaw
called Black Donald, who, thinking to gain an ascendency over one
whom he called his patron, actually pretended to have made way with
Eugene Le Noir for the sake of his younger brother.
The third item of confession was the abduction of the nurse and babe
of the young widow of Eugene, the circumstances of which are already
known to the reader.
The fourth in the dreadful list comprised the deceptions, wrongs and
persecutions practised upon Madame Eugene Le Noir, and the final
false imprisonment of that lady under the charge of insanity, in the
private madhouse kept by Doctor Pierre St. Jean, in East Feliciana.
In conclusion, he spoke of the wrongs done to Clara Day, whose
pardon, with that of others, he begged. And he prayed that in
consideration of his son, as little publicity as was possible might
be given to these crimes.
During the reading of this confession, the eyes of Traverse Rocke
were fixed in wonder and half incredulity upon the face of Herbert,
and at its conclusion he said:
"What a mass of crime! But that we may not dare to question the
mercy of the Lord, I should ask if these were sins that he would
ever pardon! Herbert, it appals me to think of it!"
Then, after deep thought, he added:
"This, then, was the secret of my dear mother's long unhappiness.
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