fidential," Edith assured him.
The man became increasingly evasive and nervously rubbed his hands together, lowering his head without a word.
His attitude made Edith feel even more suspicious. She stood up and said coldly, "If you still can''t tell us something, I''m afraid we can''t keep you here any longer."
The man''s eyes suddenly widened. He muttered silently as if he was chewing on something, looking very frustrated.
Eventually, in a hoarse voice, he whispered, "Quenet killed my wife!"
"What nonsense are you talking?" Edith immediately counterattacked.
"Don''t you hear? Quenet killed my Annette! She''s my wife. Her teeth were beautiful, her eyes were thin, she''s always smiling. We met when we danced at the Chaumière. I was too poor, her father turned his nose up at me. But she still married me. She had to marry me.
"She was very able, good at arithmetic, and she could sew dolls. One night someone took her away. I saw Quenet''s name on the arrest warrant. Before going to sleep that night, she told me she might be pregnant. I told them she was my wife. And I had to see Quenet. I must tell him. They wouldn''t let me see him. Yesterday they handed her over to the executioner. So I came here. I''ll ask Quenet to give my wife back to me."
As the man spoke, his eyes were lifeless, yet he stared at the void in front of him with a determined look.
Edith felt a chill all over her body. She and Charlene glanced at each other disconcertedly, and the latter tightened her arms and supported herself on the armrests. The two girls both guessed at the terrible intentions of the comer.
"Your vile plot has been exposed." Edith tried her best to make her voice sound steady and issued the order to the man as imposing as possible, "Please leave this house at once!"
The man stood up suddenly, his eyes full of murderous look. Edith couldn''t help but take two steps back, searching the room for objects that could be used to fight back with the corner of her eye, trying to show no sign of fear. Charlene''s face became pale. She looked at her friend anxiously.
"What are you to him? Uh? Sister or fiancée? Quenet killed my wife, anyhow I can''t kill him today, killing you is just as goo