""
But
no
woman
could
have
done
it
.
To
climb
out
of
an
express
train
going
at
top
speed
would
be
an
impossible
feat
for
a
woman
,
"
said
the
detective
,
doggedly
.
"
Why
,
in
God
's
name
,
do
you
still
harp
upon
the
woman
?
Why
should
it
be
a
woman
more
than
a
man
?
"
"
Because
"
—
it
was
the
Judge
who
spoke
,
but
he
paused
a
moment
in
deference
to
a
gesture
of
protest
from
M
.
Floçon
.
The
little
detective
was
much
concerned
at
the
utter
want
of
reticence
displayed
by
his
colleague
.
"
Because
,
"
went
on
the
Judge
with
decision
—
"
because
this
was
found
in
the
compartment
;
"
and
he
held
out
the
piece
of
lace
and
the
scrap
of
beading
for
the
General
's
inspection
,
adding
quickly
,
"
You
have
seen
these
,
or
one
of
them
,
or
something
like
them
before
.
I
am
sure
of
it
;
I
call
upon
you
;
I
demand
—
no
,
I
appeal
to
your
sense
of
honour
,
Sir
Collingham
.
Tell
me
,
please
,
exactly
what
you
know
.
"
CHAPTER
X
The
General
sat
for
a
time
staring
hard
at
the
bit
of
torn
lace
and
the
broken
beads
.
Then
he
spoke
out
firmly
:
"
It
is
my
duty
to
withhold
nothing
.
It
is
not
the
lace
.
That
I
could
not
swear
to
;
for
me
—
and
probably
for
most
men
—
two
pieces
of
lace
are
very
much
the
same
.
But
I
think
I
have
seen
these
beads
,
or
something
exactly
like
them
,
before
.
"
"
Where
?
When
?
"
"
They
formed
part
of
the
trimming
of
a
mantle
worn
by
the
Contessa
di
Castagneto
.
"
"
Ah
!
"
it
was
the
same
interjection
uttered
simultaneously
by
the
three
Frenchmen
,
but
each
had
a
very
different
note
;
in
the
Judge
it
was
deep
interest
,
in
the
detective
triumph
,
in
the
Commissary
indignation
,
as
when
he
caught
a
criminal
red-handed
.
"
Did
she
wear
it
on
the
journey
?
"
continued
the
Judge
.
"
As
to
that
I
cannot
say
.
"
"
Come
,
come
,
General
,
you
were
with
her
constantly
;
you
must
be
able
to
tell
us
.
We
insist
on
being
told
.
"
This
fiercely
,
from
the
now
jubilant
M
.
Floçon
.
"
I
repeat
that
I
cannot
say
.
To
the
best
of
my
recollection
,
the
Countess
wore
a
long
travelling
cloak
—
an
ulster
,
as
we
call
them
.
The
jacket
with
those
bead
ornaments
may
have
been
underneath
.
But
if
I
have
seen
them
,
—
as
I
believe
I
have
,
—
it
was
not
during
this
journey
.
"
Here
the
Judge
whispered
to
M
.
Floçon
,
"
The
searcher
did
not
discover
any
second
mantle
.
"
"
How
do
we
know
the
woman
examined
thoroughly
?
"
he
replied
.
"
Here
,
at
least
,
is
direct
evidence
as
to
the
beads
.
At
last
the
net
is
drawing
round
this
fine
Countess
.
"
"
Well
,
at
any
rate
,
"
said
the
detective
aloud
,
returning
to
the
General
,
"
these
beads
were
found
in
the
compartment
of
the
murdered
man
.
I
should
like
that
explained
,
please
.
"
"
By
me
?
How
can
I
explain
it
?
And
the
fact
does
not
bear
upon
what
we
were
considering
,
as
to
whether
any
one
had
left
the
car
.
"
"
Why
not
?
"
"
The
Countess
,
as
we
know
,
never
left
the
car
.
As
to
her
entering
this
particular
compartment
,
—
at
any
previous
time
,
—
it
is
highly
improbable
.
Indeed
,
it
is
rather
insulting
her
to
suggest
it
.
"
"
She
and
this
Quadling
were
close
friends
.
"
"
So
you
say
.
On
what
evidence
I
do
not
know
,
but
I
dispute
it
.
"
"
Then
how
could
the
beads
get
there
?
They
were
her
property
,
worn
by
her
.
"
"
Once
,
I
admit
,
but
not
necessarily
on
this
journey
.
Suppose
she
had
given
the
mantle
away
—
to
her
maid
,
for
instance
;
I
believe
ladies
often
pass
on
their
things
to
their
maids
.
"
"
It
is
all
pure
presumption
,
a
mere
theory
.
This
maid
—
she
has
not
as
yet
been
imported
into
the
discussion
.
"
"
Then
I
would
suggest
that
you
do
so
without
delay
.
She
is
to
my
mind
a
—
well
,
rather
a
curious
person
.
"
"
You
know
her
—
spoke
to
her
?
"
"
I
know
her
,
in
a
way
.
I
had
seen
her
in
the
Via
Margutta
,
and
I
nodded
to
her
when
she
came
first
into
the
car
.
"
"
And
on
the
journey
—
you
spoke
to
her
frequently
?
"
"
I
?
Oh
,
dear
,
no
,
not
at
all
.
I
noticed
her
,
certainly
;
I
could
not
help
it
,
and
perhaps
I
ought
to
tell
her
mistress
.
She
seemed
to
make
friends
a
little
too
readily
with
people
.
"
"
As
for
instance
—
?
"
"
With
the
porter
to
begin
with
.
I
saw
them
together
at
Laroche
,
in
the
buffet
at
the
bar
;
and
that
Italian
,
the
man
who
was
in
here
before
me
;
indeed
,
with
the
murdered
man
.
She
seemed
to
know
them
all
.
"
"
Do
you
imply
that
the
maid
might
be
of
use
in
this
inquiry
?
"
"
Most
assuredly
I
do
.
As
I
tell
you
,
she
was
constantly
in
and
out
of
the
car
,
and
more
or
less
intimate
with
several
of
the
passengers
.
"
"
Including
her
mistress
,
the
Countess
,
"
put
in
M
.
Floçon
.
The
General
laughed
pleasantly
.
"
Most
ladies
are
,
I
presume
,
on
intimate
terms
with
their
maids
.
They
say
no
man
is
a
hero
to
his
valet
.
It
is
the
same
,
I
suppose
,
with
the
other
sex
.
"
"
So
intimate
,
"
went
on
the
little
detective
,
with
much
malicious
emphasis
,
"
that
now
the
maid
has
disappeared
lest
she
might
be
asked
inconvenient
questions
about
her
mistress
.
"
"
Disappeared
?
You
are
sure
?
"
"
She
cannot
be
found
,
that
is
all
we
know
.
"
"
It
is
as
I
thought
,
then
.
She
it
was
who
left
the
car
!
"
cried
Sir
Charles
,
with
so
much
vehemence
that
the
officials
were
startled
out
of
their
dignified
reserve
,
and
shouted
back
almost
in
a
breath
:
"
Explain
yourself
.
Quick
,
quick
.
What
in
God
's
name
do
you
mean
?
"
"
I
had
my
suspicions
from
the
first
,
and
I
will
tell
you
why
.
At
Laroche
the
car
emptied
,
as
you
may
have
heard
;
every
one
except
the
Countess
,
at
least
,
went
over
to
the
restaurant
for
early
coffee
;
I
with
the
rest
.
I
was
one
of
the
first
to
finish
,
and
I
strolled
back
to
the
platform
to
get
a
few
whiffs
of
a
cigarette
.
At
that
moment
I
saw
,
or
thought
I
saw
,
the
end
of
a
skirt
disappearing
into
the
sleeping-car
.
I
concluded
it
was
this
maid
,
Hortense
,
who
was
taking
her
mistress
a
cup
of
coffee
.
Then
my
brother
came
up
,
we
exchanged
a
few
words
,
and
entered
the
car
together
.
"
"
By
the
same
door
as
that
through
which
you
had
seen
the
skirt
pass
?
"
"
No
,
by
the
other
.
My
brother
went
back
to
his
berth
,
but
I
paused
in
the
corridor
to
finish
my
cigarette
after
the
train
had
gone
on
.
By
this
time
every
one
but
myself
had
returned
to
his
berth
,
and
I
was
on
the
point
of
lying
down
again
for
half
an
hour
,
when
I
distinctly
heard
the
handle
turned
of
the
compartment
I
knew
to
be
vacant
all
through
the
run
.
"
"
That
was
the
one
with
berths
11
and
12
?
"
"
Probably
.
It
was
next
to
the
Countess
.
Not
only
was
the
handle
turned
,
but
the
door
partly
opened
—
"
"
It
was
not
the
porter
?
"
"
Oh
,
no
,
he
was
in
his
seat
,
—
you
know
it
,
at
the
end
of
the
car
,
—
sound
asleep
,
snoring
;
I
could
hear
him
.
"
"
Did
any
one
come
out
of
the
vacant
compartment
?
"
"
No
;
but
I
was
almost
certain
,
I
believe
I
could
swear
that
I
saw
the
same
skirt
,
just
the
hem
of
it
,
a
black
skirt
,
sway
forward
beyond
the
door
,
just
for
a
second
.
Then
all
at
once
the
door
was
closed
again
fast
.
"
"
What
did
you
conclude
from
this
?
Or
did
you
think
nothing
of
it
?
"
"
I
thought
very
little
.
I
supposed
it
was
that
the
maid
wished
to
be
near
her
mistress
as
we
were
approaching
Paris
,
and
I
had
heard
from
the
Countess
that
the
porter
had
made
many
difficulties
.
But
you
see
,
after
what
has
happened
,
that
there
was
a
reason
for
stopping
the
train
.
"
"
Quite
so
,
"
M
.
Floçon
readily
admitted
,
with
a
scarcely
concealed
sneer
.
He
had
quite
made
up
his
mind
now
that
it
was
the
Countess
who
had
rung
the
alarm-bell
,
in
order
to
allow
of
the
escape
of
the
maid
,
her
confederate
and
accomplice
.
"
And
you
still
have
an
impression
that
some
one
—
presumably
this
woman
—
got
off
the
car
,
somehow
,
during
the
stoppage
?
"
he
asked
.
"
I
suggest
it
,
certainly
.
Whether
it
was
or
could
be
so
,
I
must
leave
to
your
superior
judgment
.
"
"
What
!
A
woman
climb
out
like
that
?
Bah
!
Tell
that
to
some
one
else
!
"
"
You
have
,
of
course
,
examined
the
exterior
of
the
car
,
dear
colleague
?
"
now
said
the
Judge
.
"
Assuredly
,
once
,
but
I
will
do
it
again
.
Still
,
the
outside
is
quite
smooth
,
there
is
no
foot-board
.
Only
an
acrobat
could
succeed
in
thus
escaping
,
and
then
only
at
the
peril
of
his
life
.
But
a
woman
—
oh
,
no
!
it
is
too
absurd
.
"
"
With
help
she
might
,
I
think
,
get
up
on
to
the
roof
,
"
quickly
remarked
Sir
Charles
.
"
I
have
looked
out
of
the
window
of
my
compartment
.
It
would
be
nothing
for
a
man
,
nor
much
for
a
woman
if
assisted
.
"
"
That
we
will
see
for
ourselves
,
"
said
the
detective
,
ungraciously
.
"
The
sooner
the
better
,
"
added
the
Judge
,
and
the
whole
party
rose
from
their
chairs
,
intending
to
go
straight
to
the
car
,
when
the
policeman
on
guard
appeared
at
the
door
,
followed
close
by
an
English
military
officer
in
uniform
,
whom
he
was
trying
to
keep
back
,
but
with
no
great
success
.
It
was
Colonel
Papillon
of
the
Embassy
.
"
Halloa
,
Jack
!
you
are
a
good
chap
,
"
cried
the
General
,
quickly
going
forward
to
shake
hands
.
"
I
was
sure
you
would
come
.
"
"
Come
,
sir
!
Of
course
I
came
.
I
was
just
going
to
an
official
function
,
as
you
see
,
but
his
Excellency
insisted
,
my
horse
was
at
the
door
,
and
here
I
am
.
"
All
this
was
in
English
,
but
the
attaché
turned
now
to
the
officials
,
and
,
with
many
apologies
for
his
intrusion
,
suggested
that
they
should
allow
his
friend
,
the
General
,
to
return
with
him
to
the
Embassy
when
they
had
done
with
him
.
"
Of
course
we
will
answer
for
him
.
He
shall
remain
at
your
disposal
,
and
will
appear
whenever
called
upon
.
"
He
returned
to
Sir
Charles
,
asking
,
"
You
will
promise
that
,
sir
?
"
"
Oh
,
willingly
.
I
had
always
meant
to
stay
on
a
bit
in
Paris
.
And
really
I
should
like
to
see
the
end
of
this
.
But
my
brother
?
He
must
get
home
for
next
Sunday
's
duty
.
He
has
nothing
to
tell
,
but
he
would
come
back
to
Paris
at
any
time
if
his
evidence
was
wanted
.
"
The
French
Judge
very
obligingly
agreed
to
all
these
proposals
,
and
two
more
of
the
detained
passengers
,
making
four
in
all
,
now
left
the
station
.
Then
the
officials
proceeded
to
the
car
,
which
still
remained
as
the
Chief
Detective
had
left
it
.
Here
they
soon
found
how
just
were
the
General
's
previsions
.
CHAPTER
XI
The
three
officials
went
straight
to
where
the
still
open
window
showed
the
particular
spot
to
be
examined
.
The
exterior
of
the
car
was
a
little
smirched
and
stained
with
the
dust
of
the
journey
,
lying
thick
in
parts
,
and
in
others
there
were
a
few
great
splotches
of
mud
plastered
on
.
The
detective
paused
for
a
moment
to
get
a
general
view
,
looking
,
in
the
light
of
the
General
's
suggestion
,
for
either
hand
or
foot
marks
,
anything
like
a
trace
of
the
passage
of
a
feminine
skirt
,
across
the
dusty
surface
.
But
nothing
was
to
be
seen
,
nothing
definite
or
conclusive
at
least
.
Only
here
and
there
a
few
lines
and
scratches
that
might
be
encouraging
,
but
proved
little
.
Then
the
Commissary
,
drawing
nearer
,
called
attention
to
some
suspicious
spots
sprinkled
about
the
window
,
but
above
it
towards
the
roof
.
"
What
is
it
?
"
asked
the
detective
,
as
his
colleague
with
the
point
of
his
long
fore-finger
nail
picked
at
the
thin
crust
on
the
top
of
one
of
these
spots
,
disclosing
a
dark
,
viscous
core
.
"
I
could
not
swear
to
it
,
but
I
believe
it
is
blood
.
"
"
Blood
!
Good
Heavens
!
"
cried
the
detective
,
as
he
dragged
his
powerful
magnifying
glass
out
of
his
pocket
and
applied
it
to
the
spot
.
"
Look
,
M
.
le
Juge
,
"
he
added
,
after
a
long
and
minute
examination
.
"
What
say
you
?
"
"
It
has
that
appearance
.
Only
medical
evidence
can
positively
decide
,
but
I
believe
it
is
blood
.
"
"
Now
we
are
on
the
right
track
,
I
feel
convinced
.
Some
one
fetch
a
ladder
.
"
One
of
these
curious
French
ladders
,
narrow
at
the
top
,
splayed
out
at
the
base
,
was
quickly
leaned
against
the
car
,
and
the
detective
ran
up
,
using
his
magnifier
as
he
climbed
.
"
There
is
more
here
,
much
more
,
and
something
like
—
yes
,
beyond
question
it
is
—
the
print
of
two
hands
upon
the
roof
.
It
was
here
she
climbed
.
"
"
No
doubt
.
I
can
see
it
now
exactly
.
She
would
sit
on
the
window
ledge
,
the
lower
limbs
inside
the
car
here
and
held
there
.
Then
with
her
hands
she
would
draw
herself
up
to
the
roof
,
"
said
the
Judge
.
"
But
what
nerve
!
what
strength
of
arm
!
"
"
It
was
life
and
death
.
Within
the
car
was
more
terrible
danger
.
Fear
will
do
much
in
such
a
case
.
We
all
know
that
.
Well
!
what
more
?
"
By
this
time
the
detective
had
stepped
on
to
the
roof
of
the
car
.
"
More
,
more
,
much
more
!
Footprints
,
as
plain
as
a
picture
.
A
woman
's
feet
.
Wait
,
let
me
follow
them
to
the
end
,
"
said
he
,
cautiously
creeping
forward
to
the
end
of
the
car
.
A
minute
or
two
more
,
and
he
rejoined
his
colleagues
on
the
ground
level
,
and
,
rubbing
his
hands
,
declared
joyously
that
it
was
all
perfectly
clear
.
"
Dangerous
or
not
,
difficult
or
not
,
she
did
it
.
I
have
traced
her
;
have
seen
where
she
must
have
lain
crouching
ever
so
long
,
followed
her
all
along
the
top
of
the
car
,
to
the
end
where
she
got
down
above
the
little
platform
exit
.
Beyond
doubt
she
left
the
car
when
it
stopped
,
and
by
arrangement
with
her
confederate
.
"
"
The
Countess
?
"
"
Who
else
?
"
"
And
at
a
point
near
Paris
.
The
English
General
said
the
halt
was
within
twenty
minutes
'
run
of
the
station
.
"
"
Then
it
is
from
that
point
we
must
commence
our
search
for
her
.
The
Italian
has
gone
on
the
wrong
scent
.
"
"
Not
necessarily
.
The
maid
,
we
may
be
sure
,
will
try
to
communicate
with
her
mistress
.
"
"
Still
,
it
would
be
well
to
secure
her
before
she
can
do
that
,
"
said
the
Judge
.
"
With
all
we
know
now
,
a
sharp
interrogation
might
extract
some
very
damaging
admissions
from
her
,
"
went
on
the
detective
,
eagerly
.
"
Who
is
to
go
?
I
have
sent
away
both
my
assistants
.
Of
course
I
can
telephone
for
another
man
,
or
I
might
go
myself
.
"
"
No
,
no
,
dear
colleague
,
we
cannot
spare
you
just
yet
.
Telephone
by
all
means
.
I
presume
you
would
wish
to
be
present
at
the
rest
of
the
interrogatories
?
"
"
Certainly
,
you
are
right
.
We
may
elicit
more
about
this
maid
.
Let
us
call
in
the
porter
now
.
He
is
said
to
have
had
relations
with
her
.
Something
more
may
be
got
out
of
him
.
"
The
more
did
not
amount
to
much
.
Groote
,
the
porter
,
came
in
,
cringing
and
wretched
,
in
the
abject
state
of
a
man
who
has
lately
been
drugged
and
is
now
slowly
recovering
.
Although
sharply
questioned
,
he
had
nothing
to
add
to
his
first
story
.
"
Speak
out
,
"
said
the
Judge
,
harshly
.
"
Tell
us
everything
plainly
and
promptly
,
or
I
shall
send
you
straight
to
gaol
.
The
order
is
already
made
out
;
"
and
as
he
spoke
,
he
waved
a
flimsy
bit
of
paper
before
him
.
"
I
know
nothing
,
"
the
porter
protested
,
piteously
.
"
That
is
false
.
We
are
fully
informed
and
no
fools
.
We
are
certain
that
no
such
catastrophe
could
have
occurred
without
your
knowledge
or
connivance
.
"
"
Indeed
,
gentlemen
,
indeed
—
"
"
You
were
drinking
with
this
maid
at
the
buffet
at
Laroche
.
You
had
more
drink
with
her
,
or
from
her
hands
,
afterwards
in
the
car
.
"
"
No
,
gentlemen
,
that
is
not
so
.
I
could
not
—
she
was
not
in
the
car
.
"
"
We
know
better
.
You
cannot
deceive
us
.
You
were
her
accomplice
,
and
the
accomplice
of
her
mistress
,
also
,
I
have
no
doubt
.
"
"
I
declare
solemnly
that
I
am
quite
innocent
of
all
this
.
I
hardly
remember
what
happened
at
Laroche
or
after
.
I
do
not
deny
the
drink
at
the
buffet
.
It
was
very
nasty
,
I
thought
,
and
could
not
tell
why
,
nor
why
I
could
not
hold
my
head
up
when
I
got
back
to
the
car
.
"
"
You
went
off
to
sleep
at
once
?
Is
that
what
you
pretend
?
"
"
It
must
have
been
so
.
Yes
.
Then
I
know
nothing
more
,
not
till
I
was
aroused
.
"
And
beyond
this
,
a
tale
to
which
he
stuck
with
undeviating
persistence
,
they
could
elicit
nothing
.
"
He
is
either
too
clever
for
us
or
an
absolute
idiot
and
fool
,
"
said
the
Judge
,
wearily
,
at
last
,
when
Groote
had
gone
out
.
"
We
had
better
commit
him
to
Mazas
and
hold
him
there
in
solitary
confinement
under
our
hands
.
After
a
day
or
two
of
that
he
may
be
less
difficult
.
"
"
It
is
quite
clear
he
was
drugged
,
that
the
maid
put
opium
or
laudanum
into
his
drink
at
Laroche
.
"
"
And
enough
of
it
apparently
,
for
he
says
he
went
off
to
sleep
directly
he
returned
to
the
car
,
"
the
Judge
remarked
.
"
He
says
so
.
But
he
must
have
had
a
second
dose
,
or
why
was
the
vial
found
on
the
ground
by
his
seat
?
"
asked
the
Chief
,
thoughtfully
,
as
much
of
himself
as
of
the
others
.
"
I
cannot
believe
in
a
second
dose
.
How
was
it
administered
—
by
whom
?
It
was
laudanum
,
and
could
only
be
given
in
a
drink
.
He
says
he
had
no
second
drink
.
And
by
whom
?
The
maid
?
He
says
he
did
not
see
the
maid
again
.
"
"
Pardon
me
,
M
.
le
Juge
,
but
do
you
not
give
too
much
credibility
to
the
porter
?
For
me
,
his
evidence
is
tainted
,
and
I
hardly
believe
a
word
of
it
.
Did
he
not
tell
me
at
first
he
had
not
seen
this
maid
after
Amberieux
at
8
P.M.
?
Now
he
admits
that
he
was
drinking
with
her
at
the
buffet
at
Laroche
.
It
is
all
a
tissue
of
lies
,
his
losing
the
pocket-book
and
his
papers
too
.
There
is
something
to
conceal
.
Even
his
sleepiness
,
his
stupidity
,
are
likely
to
have
been
assumed
.
"
"
I
do
not
think
he
is
acting
;
he
has
not
the
ability
to
deceive
us
like
that
.
"
"
Well
,
then
,
what
if
the
Countess
took
him
the
second
drink
?
"
"
Oh
!
oh
!
That
is
the
purest
conjecture
.
There
is
nothing
whatever
to
suggest
or
support
that
.
"
"
Then
how
explain
the
finding
of
the
vial
near
the
porter
's
seat
?
"
"
May
it
not
have
been
dropped
there
on
purpose
?
"
put
in
the
Commissary
,
with
another
flash
of
intelligence
.
"
On
purpose
?
"
queried
the
detective
,
crossly
,
foreseeing
an
answer
that
would
not
please
him
.
"
On
purpose
to
bring
suspicion
on
the
lady
?
"
"
I
do
n't
see
it
in
that
light
.
That
would
imply
that
she
was
not
in
the
plot
,
and
plot
there
certainly
was
;
everything
points
to
it
.
The
drugging
,
the
open
window
,
the
maid
's
escape
.
"
"
A
plot
,
no
doubt
,
but
organized
by
whom
?
These
two
women
only
?
Could
either
of
them
have
struck
the
fatal
blow
?
Hardly
.
Women
have
the
wit
to
conceive
,
but
neither
courage
nor
brute
force
to
execute
.
There
was
a
man
in
this
,
rest
assured
.
"
"
Granted
.
But
who
?
That
fire-eating
Sir
Collingham
?
"
quickly
asked
the
detective
,
giving
rein
once
more
to
his
hatred
.
"
That
is
not
a
solution
that
commends
itself
to
me
,
I
must
confess
,
"
declared
the
Judge
.
"
The
General
's
conduct
has
been
blameworthy
and
injudicious
,
but
he
is
not
of
the
stuff
that
makes
criminals
.
"
"
Who
,
then
?
The
porter
?
No
?
The
clergyman
?
No
?
The
French
gentlemen
?
—
well
,
we
have
not
examined
them
yet
;
but
from
what
I
saw
at
the
first
cursory
glance
,
I
am
not
disposed
to
suspect
them
.
"
"
What
of
that
Italian
?
"
asked
the
Commissary
.
"
Are
you
sure
of
him
?
His
looks
did
not
please
me
greatly
,
and
he
was
very
eager
to
get
away
from
here
.
What
if
he
takes
to
his
heels
?
"
"
Block
is
with
him
,
"
the
Chief
put
in
hastily
,
with
the
evident
desire
to
stifle
an
unpleasant
misgiving
.
"
We
have
touch
of
him
if
we
want
him
,
as
we
may
.
"
How
much
they
might
want
him
they
only
realized
when
they
got
further
in
their
inquiry
!
CHAPTER
XII
Only
the
two
Frenchmen
remained
for
examination
.
They
had
been
left
to
the
last
by
pure
accident
.
The
exigencies
of
the
inquiry
had
led
to
the
preference
of
others
,
but
these
two
well-broken
and
submissive
gentlemen
made
no
visible
protest
.
However
much
they
may
have
chafed
inwardly
at
the
delay
,
they
knew
better
than
to
object
;
any
outburst
of
discontent
would
,
they
knew
,
recoil
on
themselves
.
Not
only
were
they
perfectly
patient
now
when
summoned
before
the
officers
of
justice
,
they
were
most
eager
to
give
every
assistance
to
the
law
,
to
go
beyond
the
mere
letter
,
and
,
if
needs
be
,
volunteer
information
.
The
first
called
in
was
the
elder
,
M
.
Anatole
Lafolay
,
a
true
Parisian
_bourgeois_
,
fat
and
comfortable
,
unctuous
in
speech
,
and
exceedingly
deferential
.
The
story
he
told
was
in
its
main
outlines
that
which
we
already
know
,
but
he
was
further
questioned
,
by
the
light
of
the
latest
facts
and
ideas
as
now
elicited
.
The
line
adroitly
taken
by
the
Judge
was
to
get
some
evidence
of
collusion
and
combination
among
the
passengers
,
especially
with
reference
to
two
of
them
,
the
two
women
of
the
party
.
On
this
important
point
M
.
Lafolay
had
something
to
say
.
Asked
if
he
had
seen
or
noticed
the
lady
's
maid
on
the
journey
,
he
answered
"
yes
"
very
decisively
and
with
a
smack
of
the
lips
,
as
though
the
sight
of
this
pretty
and
attractive
person
had
given
him
considerable
satisfaction
.
"
Did
you
speak
to
her
?
"
"
Oh
,
no.
I
had
no
opportunity
.
Besides
,
she
had
her
own
friends--
great
friends
,
I
fancy
.
I
caught
her
more
than
once
whispering
in
the
corner
of
the
car
with
one
of
them
.
"
"
And
that
was--
?
"
"
I
think
the
Italian
gentleman
;
I
am
almost
sure
I
recognized
his
clothes
.
I
did
not
see
his
face
,
it
was
turned
from
me--towards
hers
,
and
very
close
,
I
may
be
permitted
to
say
.
"
"
And
they
were
friendly
?
"
"
More
than
friendly
,
I
should
say
.
Very
intimate
indeed
.
I
should
not
have
been
surprised
if--when
I
turned
away
as
a
matter
of
fact--if
he
did
not
touch
,
just
touch
,
her
red
lips
.
It
would
have
been
excusable--forgive
me
,
messieurs
.
"
"
Aha
!
They
were
so
intimate
as
that
?
Indeed
!
And
did
she
reserve
her
favours
exclusively
for
him
?
Did
no
one
else
address
her
,
pay
her
court
on
the
quiet--you
understand
?
"
"
I
saw
her
with
the
porter
,
I
believe
,
at
Laroche
,
but
only
then
.
No
,
the
Italian
was
her
chief
companion
.
"
"
Did
any
one
else
notice
the
flirtation
,
do
you
think
?
"
"
Possibly
.
There
was
no
secrecy
.
It
was
very
marked
.
We
could
all
see
.
"
"
And
her
mistress
too
?
"
"
That
I
will
not
say
.
The
lady
I
saw
but
little
during
the
journey
.
"
A
few
more
questions
,
mainly
personal
,
as
to
his
address
,
business
,
probable
presence
in
Paris
for
the
next
few
weeks
,
and
M
.
Lafolay
was
permitted
to
depart
.
The
examination
of
the
younger
Frenchman
,
a
smart
,
alert
young
man
,
of
pleasant
,
insinuating
address
,
with
a
quick
,
inquisitive
eye
,
followed
the
same
lines
,
and
was
distinctly
corroborative
on
all
the
points
to
which
M
.
Lafolay
spoke
.
But
M
.
Jules
Devaux
had
something
startling
to
impart
concerning
the
Countess
.
When
asked
if
he
had
seen
her
or
spoken
to
her
,
he
shook
his
head
.
"
No
;
she
kept
very
much
to
herself
,
"
he
said
.
"
I
saw
her
but
little
,
hardly
at
all
,
except
at
Modane
.
She
kept
her
own
berth
.
"
"
Where
she
received
her
own
friends
?
"
"
Oh
,
beyond
doubt
.
The
Englishmen
both
visited
her
there
,
but
not
the
Italian
.
"
"
The
Italian
?
Are
we
to
infer
that
she
knew
the
Italian
?
"
"
That
is
what
I
wish
to
convey
.
Not
on
the
journey
,
though
.
Between
Rome
and
Paris
she
did
not
seem
to
know
him
.
It
was
afterwards
;
this
morning
,
in
fact
,
that
I
came
to
the
conclusion
that
there
was
some
secret
understanding
between
them
.
"
"
Why
do
you
say
that
,
M
.
Devaux
?
"
cried
the
detective
,
excitedly
.
"
Let
me
urge
you
and
implore
you
to
speak
out
,
and
fully
.
This
is
of
the
utmost
,
of
the
very
first
,
importance
.
"
"
Well
,
gentlemen
,
I
will
tell
you
.
As
you
are
well
aware
,
on
arrival
at
this
station
we
were
all
ordered
to
leave
the
car
,
and
marched
to
the
waiting-room
,
out
there
.
As
a
matter
of
course
,
the
lady
entered
first
,
and
she
was
seated
when
I
went
in
.
There
was
a
strong
light
on
her
face
.
"
"
Was
her
veil
down
?
"
"
Not
then
.
I
saw
her
lower
it
later
,
and
,
as
I
think
,
for
reasons
I
will
presently
put
before
you
.
Madame
has
a
beautiful
face
,
and
I
gazed
at
it
with
sympathy
,
grieving
for
her
,
in
fact
,
in
such
a
trying
situation
;
when
suddenly
I
saw
a
great
and
remarkable
change
come
over
it
.
"
"
Of
what
character
?
"
"
It
was
a
look
of
horror
,
disgust
,
surprise
,
--a
little
perhaps
of
all
three
;
I
could
not
quite
say
which
,
it
faded
so
quickly
and
was
followed
by
a
cold
,
deathlike
pallor
.
Then
almost
immediately
she
lowered
her
veil
.
"
"
Could
you
form
any
explanation
for
what
you
saw
in
her
face
?
What
caused
it
?
"
"
Something
unexpected
,
I
believe
,
some
shock
,
or
the
sight
of
something
shocking
.
That
was
how
it
struck
me
,
and
so
forcibly
that
I
turned
to
look
over
my
shoulder
,
expecting
to
find
the
reason
there
.
And
it
was
.
"
"
That
reason--
?
"
"
Was
the
entrance
of
the
Italian
,
who
came
just
behind
me
.
I
am
certain
of
this
;
he
almost
told
me
so
himself
,
not
in
words
,
but
the
mistakable
leer
he
gave
her
in
reply
.
It
was
wicked
,
sardonic
,
devilish
,
and
proved
beyond
doubt
that
there
was
some
secret
,
some
guilty
secret
perhaps
,
between
them
.
"
"
And
was
that
all
?
"
cried
both
the
Judge
and
M
.
Floçon
in
a
breath
,
leaning
forward
in
their
eagerness
to
hear
more
.
"
For
the
moment
,
yes
.
But
I
was
made
so
interested
,
so
suspicious
by
this
,
that
I
watched
the
Italian
closely
,
awaiting
,
expecting
further
developments
.
They
were
long
in
coming
;
indeed
,
I
am
only
at
the
end
now
.
"
"
Explain
,
pray
,
as
quickly
as
possible
,
and
in
your
own
words
.
"
"
It
was
like
this
,
monsieur
.
When
we
were
all
seated
,
I
looked
round
,
and
did
not
at
first
see
our
Italian
.
At
last
I
discovered
he
had
taken
a
back
seat
,
through
modesty
perhaps
,
or
to
be
out
of
observation--how
was
I
to
know
?
He
sat
in
the
shadow
by
a
door
,
that
,
in
fact
,
which
leads
into
this
room
.
He
was
thus
in
the
background
,
rather
out
of
the
way
,
but
I
could
see
his
eyes
glittering
in
that
far-off
corner
,
and
they
were
turned
in
our
direction
,
always
fixed
upon
the
lady
,
you
understand
.
She
was
next
me
,
the
whole
time
.
"
Then
,
as
you
will
remember
,
monsieur
,
you
called
us
in
one
by
one
,
and
I
,
with
M
.
Lafolay
,
was
the
first
to
appear
before
you
.
When
I
returned
to
the
outer
room
,
the
Italian
was
still
staring
,
but
not
so
fixedly
or
continuously
,
at
the
lady
.
From
time
to
time
his
eyes
wandered
towards
a
table
near
which
he
sat
,
and
which
was
just
in
the
gangway
or
passage
by
which
people
must
pass
into
your
presence
.
"
There
was
some
reason
for
this
,
I
felt
sure
,
although
I
did
not
understand
it
immediately
.
"
Presently
I
got
at
the
hidden
meaning
There
was
a
small
piece
of
paper
,
rolled
up
or
crumpled
up
into
a
ball
,
lying
upon
this
table
,
and
the
Italian
wished
,
nay
,
was
desperately
anxious
,
to
call
the
lady
's
attention
to
it
.
If
I
had
had
any
doubt
of
this
,
it
was
quite
removed
after
the
man
had
gone
into
the
inner
room
.
As
he
left
us
,
he
turned
his
head
over
his
shoulder
significantly
and
nodded
very
slightly
,
but
still
perceptibly
,
at
the
ball
of
paper
.
"
Well
,
gentlemen
,
I
was
now
satisfied
in
my
own
mind
that
this
was
some
artful
attempt
of
his
to
communicate
with
the
lady
,
and
had
she
fallen
in
with
it
,
I
should
have
immediately
informed
you
,
the
proper
authorities
.
But
whether
from
stupidity
,
dread
,
disinclination
,
a
direct
,
definite
refusal
to
have
any
dealings
with
this
man
,
the
lady
would
not--at
any
rate
did
not--pick
up
the
ball
,
as
she
might
have
done
easily
when
she
in
her
turn
passed
the
table
on
her
way
to
your
presence
.
"
I
have
no
doubt
it
was
thrown
there
for
her
,
and
probably
you
will
agree
with
me
.
But
it
takes
two
to
make
a
game
of
this
sort
,
and
the
lady
would
not
join
.
Neither
on
leaving
the
room
nor
on
returning
would
she
take
up
the
missive
.
"
"
And
what
became
of
it
,
then
?
"
asked
the
detective
in
breathless
excitement
.
"
I
have
it
here
.
"
M
.
Devaux
opened
the
palm
of
his
hand
and
displayed
the
scrap
of
paper
in
the
hollow
rolled
up
into
a
small
tight
ball
.
"
When
and
how
did
you
become
possessed
of
it
?
"
"
I
got
it
only
just
now
,
when
I
was
called
in
here
.
Before
that
I
could
not
move
.
I
was
tied
to
my
chair
,
practically
,
and
ordered
strictly
not
to
move
.
"
"
Perfectly
.
Monsieur
's
conduct
has
been
admirable
.
And
now
tell
us--what
does
it
contain
?
Have
you
looked
at
it
?
"
"
By
no
means
.
It
is
just
as
I
picked
it
up
.
Will
you
gentlemen
take
it
,
and
if
you
think
fit
,
tell
me
what
is
there
?
Some
writing--a
message
of
some
sort
,
or
I
am
greatly
mistaken
.
"
"
Yes
,
here
are
words
written
in
pencil
,
"
said
the
detective
,
unrolling
the
paper
,
which
he
handed
on
to
the
Judge
,
who
read
the
contents
aloud--
"
Be
careful
.
Say
nothing
.
If
you
betray
me
,
you
will
be
lost
too
.
"
A
long
silence
followed
,
broken
first
by
the
Judge
,
who
said
at
last
solemnly
to
Devaux
:
"
Monsieur
,
in
the
name
of
justice
I
beg
to
thank
you
most
warmly
.
You
have
acted
with
admirable
tact
and
judgment
,
and
have
rendered
us
invaluable
assistance
.
Have
you
anything
further
to
tell
us
?
"
"
No
,
gentlemen
.
That
is
all
.
And
you--you
have
no
more
questions
to
ask
?
Then
I
presume
I
may
withdraw
?
"
Beyond
doubt
it
had
been
reserved
for
the
last
witness
to
produce
facts
that
constituted
the
very
essence
of
the
inquiry
.
CHAPTER
XIII
The
examination
was
now
over
,
and
,
the
dispositions
having
been
drawn
up
and
signed
,
the
investigating
officials
remained
for
some
time
in
conference
.
"
It
lies
with
those
three
,
of
course--the
two
women
and
the
Italian
.
They
are
jointly
,
conjointly
concerned
,
although
the
exact
degrees
of
guilt
cannot
quite
be
apportioned
,
"
said
the
detective
.
"
And
all
three
are
at
large
!
"
added
the
Judge
.
"
If
you
will
issue
warrants
for
arrest
,
M
.
le
Juge
,
we
can
take
them--two
of
them
at
any
rate--when
we
choose
.
"
"
That
should
be
at
once
,
"
remarked
the
Commissary
,
eager
,
as
usual
,
for
decisive
action
.
"
Very
well
.
Let
us
proceed
in
that
way
.
Prepare
the
warrants
,
"
said
the
Judge
,
turning
to
his
clerk
.
"
And
you
,
"
he
went
on
,
addressing
M
.
Floçon
,
"
dear
colleague
,
will
you
see
to
their
execution
?
Madame
is
at
the
Hôtel
Madagascar
;
that
will
be
easy
.
The
Italian
Ripaldi
we
shall
hear
of
through
your
inspector
Block
.
As
for
the
maid
,
Hortense
Petitpré
,
we
must
search
for
her
.
That
too
,
sir
,
you
will
of
course
undertake
?
"
"
I
will
charge
myself
with
it
,
certainly
.
My
man
should
be
here
by
now
,
and
I
will
instruct
him
at
once
.
Ask
for
him
,
"
said
M
.
Floçon
to
the
guard
whom
he
called
in
.
"
The
inspector
is
there
,
"
said
the
guard
,
pointing
to
the
outer
room
.
"
He
has
just
returned
.
"
"
Returned
?
You
mean
arrived
.
"
"
No
,
monsieur
,
returned
.
It
is
Block
,
who
left
an
hour
or
more
ago
.
"
"
Block
?
Then
something
has
happened--he
has
some
special
information
,
some
great
news
!
Shall
we
see
him
,
M
.
le
Juge
?
"
When
Block
appeared
,
it
was
evident
that
something
had
gone
wrong
with
him
.
His
face
wore
a
look
of
hot
,
flurried
excitement
,
and
his
manner
was
one
of
abject
,
cringing
self-abasement
.
"
What
is
it
?
"
asked
the
little
Chief
,
sharply
.
"
You
are
alone
.
Where
is
your
man
?
"
"
Alas
,
monsieur
!
how
shall
I
tell
you
?
He
has
gone--disappeared
!
I
have
lost
him
!
"
"
Impossible
!
You
cannot
mean
it
!
Gone
,
now
,
just
when
we
most
want
him
?
Never
!
"
"
It
is
so
,
unhappily
.
"
"
Idiot
!
_Triple_
idiot
!
You
shall
be
dismissed
,
discharged
from
this
hour
.
You
are
a
disgrace
to
the
force
.
"
M
.
Floçon
raved
furiously
at
his
abashed
subordinate
,
blaming
him
a
little
too
harshly
and
unfairly
,
forgetting
that
until
quite
recently
there
had
been
no
strong
suspicion
against
the
Italian
.
We
are
apt
at
times
to
expect
others
to
be
intuitively
possessed
of
knowledge
that
has
only
come
to
us
at
a
much
later
date
.
"
How
was
it
?
Explain
.
Of
course
you
have
been
drinking
.
It
is
that
,
or
your
great
gluttony
.
You
were
beguiled
into
some
eating-house
.
"
"
Monsieur
,
you
shall
hear
the
exact
truth
.
When
we
started
more
than
an
hour
ago
,
our
fiacre
took
the
usual
route
,
by
the
Quais
and
along
the
riverside
.
My
gentleman
made
himself
most
pleasant
"
"
No
doubt
,
"
growled
the
Chief
.
"
Offered
me
an
excellent
cigar
,
and
talked--not
about
the
affair
,
you
understand--but
of
Paris
,
the
theatres
,
the
races
,
Longchamps
,
Auteuil
,
the
grand
restaurants
.
He
knew
everything
,
all
Paris
,
like
his
pocket
.
I
was
much
surprised
,
but
he
told
me
his
business
often
brought
him
here
.
He
had
been
employed
to
follow
up
several
great
Italian
criminals
,
and
had
made
a
number
of
important
arrests
in
Paris
.
"
"
Get
on
,
get
on
!
come
to
the
essential
.
"
"
Well
,
in
the
middle
of
the
journey
,
when
we
were
about
the
Pont
Henri
Quatre
,
he
said
,
'
Figure
to
yourself
,
my
friend
,
that
it
is
now
near
noon
,
that
nothing
has
passed
my
lips
since
before
daylight
at
Laroche
.
What
say
you
?
Could
you
eat
a
mouthful
,
just
a
scrap
on
the
thumb-nail
?
Could
you
?
'
"
"
And
you--greedy
,
gormandizing
beast
!
--you
agreed
?
"
"
My
faith
,
monsieur
,
I
too
was
hungry
.
It
was
my
regular
hour
.
Well--at
any
rate
,
for
my
sins
I
accepted
.
We
entered
the
first
restaurant
,
that
of
the
'
Reunited
Friends
,
'
you
know
it
,
perhaps
,
monsieur
?
A
good
house
,
especially
noted
for
tripe
_à
la
mode
de
Caen_
.
"
In
spite
of
his
anguish
,
Block
smacked
his
fat
lips
at
the
thought
of
this
most
succulent
but
very
greasy
dish
.
"
How
often
must
I
tell
you
to
get
on
?
"
"
Forgive
me
,
monsieur
,
but
it
is
all
part
of
my
story
.
We
had
oysters
,
two
dozen
Marennes
,
and
a
glass
or
two
of
Chablis
;
then
a
good
portion
of
tripe
,
and
with
them
a
bottle
,
only
one
,
monsieur
,
of
Pontet
Canet
;
after
that
a
beefsteak
with
potatoes
and
a
little
Burgundy
,
then
a
rum
omelet
.
"
"
Great
Heavens
!
you
should
be
the
fat
man
in
a
fair
,
not
an
agent
of
the
Detective
Bureau
.
"
"
It
was
all
this
that
helped
me
to
my
destruction
.
He
ate
,
this
devilish
Italian
,
like
three
,
and
I
too
,
I
was
so
hungry
,
--forgive
me
,
sir
,
--I
did
my
share
.
But
by
the
time
we
reached
the
cheese
,
a
fine
,
ripe
Camembert
,
had
our
coffee
,
and
one
thimbleful
of
green
Chartreuse
,
I
was
_plein
jusqu'au
bec_
,
gorged
up
to
the
beak
.
"
"
And
what
of
your
duty
,
your
service
,
pray
?
"
"
I
did
think
of
it
,
monsieur
,
but
then
,
he
,
the
Italian
,
was
just
the
same
as
myself
.
He
was
a
colleague
.
I
had
no
fear
of
him
,
not
till
the
very
last
,
when
he
played
me
this
evil
turn
.
I
suspected
nothing
when
he
brought
out
his
pocketbook
,
--it
was
stuffed
full
,
monsieur
;
I
saw
that
and
my
confidence
increased
,
--called
for
the
reckoning
,
and
paid
with
an
Italian
bank-note
.
The
waiter
looked
doubtful
at
the
foreign
money
,
and
went
out
to
consult
the
manager
.
A
minute
after
,
my
man
got
up
,
saying
:
"
'
There
may
be
some
trouble
about
changing
that
bank-note
.
Excuse
me
one
moment
,
pray
.
'
He
went
out
,
monsieur
,
and
piff-paff
,
he
was
no
more
to
be
seen
.
"
"
Ah
,
_nigaud_
(
ass
)
,
you
are
too
foolish
to
live
!
Why
did
you
not
follow
him
?
Why
let
him
out
of
your
sight
?
"
"
But
,
monsieur
,
I
was
not
to
know
,
was
I
?
I
was
to
accompany
him
,
not
to
watch
him
.
I
have
done
wrong
,
I
confess
.
But
then
,
who
was
to
tell
he
meant
to
run
away
?
"
M
.
Floçon
could
not
deny
the
justice
of
this
defence
.
It
was
only
now
,
at
the
eleventh
hour
,
that
the
Italian
had
become
inculpated
,
and
the
question
of
his
possible
anxiety
to
escape
had
never
been
considered
.
"
He
was
so
artful
,
"
went
on
Block
in
further
extenuation
of
his
offence
.
"
He
left
everything
behind
.
His
overcoat
,
stick
,
this
book--his
own
private
memorandum-book
seemingly--
"
"
Book
?
Hand
it
me
,
"
said
the
Chief
,
and
when
it
came
into
his
hands
he
began
to
turn
over
the
leaves
hurriedly
.
It
was
a
small
brass-bound
note-book
or
diary
,
and
was
full
of
close
writing
in
pencil
.
"
I
do
not
understand
,
not
more
than
a
word
here
and
there
.
It
is
no
doubt
Italian
.
Do
you
know
that
language
,
M
.
le
Juge
?
"
"
Not
perfectly
,
but
I
can
read
it
.
Allow
me
.
"
He
also
turned
over
the
pages
,
pausing
to
read
a
passage
here
and
there
,
and
nodding
his
head
from
time
to
time
,
evidently
struck
with
the
importance
of
the
matter
recorded
.
Meanwhile
,
M
.
Floçon
continued
an
angry
conversation
with
his
offending
subordinate
.
"
You
will
have
to
find
him
,
Block
,
and
that
speedily
,
within
twenty-four
hours
,
--to-day
,
indeed
,
--or
I
will
break
you
like
a
stick
,
and
send
you
into
the
gutter
.
Of
course
,
such
a
consummate
ass
as
you
have
proved
yourself
would
not
think
of
searching
the
restaurant
or
the
immediate
neighbourhood
,
or
of
making
inquiries
as
to
whether
he
had
been
seen
,
or
as
to
which
way
he
had
gone
?
"
"
Pardon
me
,
monsieur
is
too
hard
on
me
.
I
have
been
unfortunate
,
a
victim
to
circumstances
,
still
I
believe
I
know
my
duty
.
Yes
,
I
made
inquiries
,
and
,
what
is
more
,
I
heard
of
him
.
"
"
Where
?
how
?
"
asked
the
Chief
,
gruffly
,
but
obviously
much
interested
.
"
He
never
spoke
to
the
manager
,
but
walked
out
and
let
the
change
go
.
It
was
a
note
for
a
hundred
_lire_
,
a
hundred
francs
,
and
the
restaurant
bill
was
no
more
than
seventeen
francs
.
"
"
Hah
!
that
is
greatly
against
him
indeed
.
"
"
He
was
much
pressed
,
in
a
great
hurry
.
Directly
he
crossed
the
threshold
he
called
the
first
cab
and
was
driving
away
,
but
he
was
stopped--
"
"
The
devil
!
Why
did
they
not
keep
him
,
then
?
"
"
Stopped
,
but
only
for
a
moment
,
and
accosted
by
a
woman
.
"
"
A
woman
?
"
"
Yes
,
monsieur
.
They
exchanged
but
three
words
.
He
wished
to
pass
on
,
to
leave
her
,
she
would
not
consent
,
then
they
both
got
into
the
cab
and
were
driven
away
together
.
"
The
officials
were
now
listening
with
all
ears
.
"
Tell
me
,
"
said
the
Chief
,
"
quick
,
this
woman--what
was
she
like
?
Did
you
get
her
description
?
"
"
Tall
,
slight
,
well
formed
,
dressed
all
in
black
.
Her
face--it
was
a
policeman
who
saw
her
,
and
he
said
she
was
good-looking
,
dark
,
brunette
,
black
hair
.
"
"
It
is
the
maid
herself
!
"
cried
the
little
Chief
,
springing
up
and
slapping
his
thigh
in
exuberant
glee
.
"
The
maid
!
the
missing
maid
!
"
CHAPTER
XIV
The
joy
of
the
Chief
of
Detectives
at
having
thus
come
,
as
he
supposed
,
upon
the
track
of
the
missing
maid
,
Hortense
Petitpré
,
was
somewhat
dashed
by
the
doubts
freely
expressed
by
the
Judge
as
to
the
result
of
any
search
.
Since
Block
's
return
,
M
.
Beaumont
le
Hardi
had
developed
strong
symptoms
of
discontent
and
disapproval
at
his
colleague
's
proceedings
.
"
But
if
it
was
this
Hortense
Petitpré
how
did
she
get
there
,
by
the
bridge
Henri
Quatre
,
when
we
thought
to
find
her
somewhere
down
the
line
?
It
cannot
be
the
same
woman
.
"
"
I
beg
your
pardon
,
gentlemen
,
"
interposed
Block
.
"
May
I
say
one
word
?
I
believe
I
can
supply
some
interesting
information
about
Hortense
Petitpré
.
I
understand
that
some
one
like
her
was
seen
here
in
the
station
not
more
than
an
hour
ago
.
"
"
_
Peste
!
_
Why
were
we
not
told
this
sooner
?
"
cried
the
Chief
,
impetuously
.
"
Who
saw
her
?
Did
he
speak
to
her
?
Call
him
in
;
let
us
see
how
much
he
knows
.
"
The
man
was
summoned
,
one
of
the
subordinate
railway
officials
,
who
made
a
specific
report
.
Yes
,
he
had
seen
a
tall
,
slight
,
neat-looking
woman
,
dressed
entirely
in
black
,
who
,
according
to
her
account
,
had
arrived
at
10.30
by
the
slow
local
train
from
Dijon
.
"
_
Fichtre
!
_
"
said
the
Chief
,
angrily
;
"
and
this
is
the
first
we
have
heard
of
it
.
"
"
Monsieur
was
much
occupied
at
the
time
,
and
,
indeed
,
then
we
had
not
heard
of
your
inquiry
.
"
"
I
notified
the
station-master
quite
early
,
two
or
three
hours
since
,
about
9
A.M.
This
is
most
exasperating
!
"
"
Instructions
to
look
out
for
this
woman
have
only
just
reached
us
,
monsieur
.
There
were
certain
formalities
,
I
suppose
.
"
For
once
the
detective
cursed
in
his
heart
the
red-tape
,
roundabout
ways
of
French
officialism
.
"
Well
,
well
!
Tell
me
about
her
,
"
he
said
,
with
a
resignation
he
did
not
feel
.
"
Who
saw
her
?
"
"
I
,
monsieur
.
I
spoke
to
her
myself
.
She
was
on
the
outside
of
the
station
,
alone
,
unprotected
,
in
a
state
of
agitation
and
alarm
.
I
went
up
and
offered
my
services
.
Then
she
told
me
she
had
come
from
Dijon
,
that
friends
who
were
to
have
met
her
had
not
appeared
.
I
suggested
that
I
should
put
her
into
a
cab
and
send
her
to
her
destination
.
But
she
was
afraid
of
losing
her
friends
,
and
preferred
to
wait
.
"
"
A
fine
story
!
Did
she
appear
to
know
what
had
happened
?
Had
she
heard
of
the
murder
?
"
"
Something
,
monsieur
.
"
"
Who
could
have
told
her
?
Did
you
?
"
"
No
,
not
I
.
But
she
knew
.
"
"
Was
not
that
in
itself
suspicious
?
The
fact
has
not
yet
been
made
public
.
"
"
It
was
in
the
air
,
monsieur
.
There
was
a
general
impression
that
something
had
happened
.
That
was
to
be
seen
on
every
face
,
in
the
whispered
talk
,
the
movement
to
and
fro
of
the
police
and
the
guards
.
"
"
Did
she
speak
of
it
,
or
refer
to
it
?
"
"
Only
to
ask
if
the
murderer
was
known
;
whether
the
passengers
had
been
detained
;
whether
there
was
any
inquiry
in
progress
;
and
then--
"
"
What
then
?
"
"
This
gentleman
,
"
pointing
to
Block
,
"
came
out
,
accompanied
by
another
.
They
passed
pretty
close
to
us
,
and
I
noticed
that
the
lady
slipped
quickly
on
one
side
.
"
"
She
recognized
her
confederate
,
of
course
,
but
did
not
wish
to
be
seen
just
then
.
Did
he
,
the
person
with
Block
here
,
see
her
?
"
"
Hardly
,
I
think
;
it
was
all
so
quick
,
and
they
were
gone
,
in
a
minute
,
to
the
cab-stand
.
"
"
What
did
your
woman
do
?
"
"
She
seemed
to
have
changed
her
mind
all
at
once
,
and
declared
she
would
not
wait
for
her
friends
.
Now
she
was
in
quite
a
hurry
to
go
.
"
"
Of
course
!
and
left
you
like
a
fool
planted
there
.
I
suppose
she
took
a
cab
and
followed
the
others
,
Block
here
and
his
companion
.
"
"
I
believe
she
did
.
I
saw
her
cab
close
behind
theirs
.
"
"
It
is
too
late
to
lament
this
now
,
"
said
the
Chief
,
after
a
short
pause
,
looking
at
his
colleagues
.
"
At
least
it
confirms
our
ideas
,
and
brings
us
to
certain
definite
conclusions
.
We
must
lay
hands
on
these
two
.
Their
guilt
is
all
but
established
.
Their
own
acts
condemn
them
.
They
must
be
arrested
without
a
moment
's
delay
.
"
"
If
you
can
find
them
!
"
suggested
the
Judge
,
with
a
very
perceptible
sneer
.
"
That
we
shall
certainly
do
.
Trust
to
Block
,
who
is
very
nearly
concerned
.
His
future
depends
on
his
success
.
You
quite
understand
that
,
my
man
?
"
Block
made
a
gesture
half-deprecating
,
half-confident
.
"
I
do
not
despair
,
gentlemen
;
and
if
I
might
make
so
bold
,
sir
,
I
will
ask
you
to
assist
?
If
you
would
give
orders
direct
from
the
Prefecture
to
make
the
round
of
the
cab-stands
,
to
ask
of
all
the
agents
in
charge
the
information
we
need
?
Before
night
we
shall
have
heard
from
the
cabman
who
drove
them
what
became
of
this
couple
,
and
so
get
our
birds
themselves
,
or
a
point
of
fresh
departure
.
"
"
And
you
,
Block
,
where
shall
you
go
?
"
"
Where
I
left
him
,
or
rather
where
he
left
me
,
"
replied
the
inspector
,
with
an
attempt
at
wit
,
which
fell
quite
flat
,
being
extinguished
by
a
frigid
look
from
the
Judge
.
"
Go
,
"
said
M
.
Floçon
,
briefly
and
severely
,
to
his
subordinate
;
"
and
remember
that
you
have
now
to
justify
your
retention
on
the
force
.
"
Then
,
turning
to
M
.
Beaumont
le
Hardi
,
the
Chief
went
on
pleasantly
:
"
Well
,
M
.
le
Juge
,
it
promises
,
I
think
;
it
is
all
fairly
satisfactory
,
eh
?
"
"
I
am
sorry
I
cannot
agree
with
you
,
"
replied
the
Judge
,
harshly
.
"
On
the
contrary
,
I
consider
that
we--or
more
exactly
you
,
for
neither
I
nor
M
.
Garraud
accept
any
share
in
it--you
have
so
far
failed
,
and
miserably
.
"
"
Your
pardon
,
M
.
le
Juge
,
you
are
too
severe
,
"
protested
M
.
Floçon
,
quite
humbly
.
"
Well
!
Look
at
it
from
all
points
of
view
.
What
have
we
got
?
What
have
we
gained
?
Nothing
,
or
,
if
anything
,
it
is
of
the
smallest
,
and
it
is
already
jeopardized
,
if
not
absolutely
lost
.
"
"
We
have
at
least
gained
the
positive
assurance
of
the
guilt
of
certain
individuals
.
"
"
Whom
you
have
allowed
to
slip
through
your
fingers
.
"
"
Ah
,
not
so
,
M
.
le
Juge
!
We
have
one
under
surveillance
.
My
man
Galipaud
is
there
at
the
hotel
watching
the
Countess
.
"
"
Do
not
talk
to
me
of
your
men
,
M
.
Floçon
,
"
angrily
interposed
the
Judge
.
"
One
of
them
has
given
us
a
touch
of
his
quality
.
Why
should
not
the
other
be
equally
foolish
?
I
quite
expect
to
hear
that
the
Countess
also
has
gone
,
that
would
be
the
climax
!
"
"
It
shall
not
happen
.
I
will
take
the
warrant
and
arrest
her
now
,
at
once
,
myself
,
"
cried
M
.
Floçon
.
"
Well
,
that
will
be
something
,
yet
not
much
.
Yes
,
she
is
only
one
,
and
not
to
my
mind
the
most
criminal
.
We
do
not
know
as
yet
the
exact
responsibility
of
each
,
the
exact
measure
of
their
guilt
;
but
I
do
not
myself
believe
that
the
Countess
was
a
prime
mover
,
or
,
indeed
,
more
than
an
accessory
.
She
was
drawn
into
it
,
perhaps
involved
,
how
or
why
we
cannot
know
,
but
possibly
by
fortuitous
circumstances
that
put
an
unavoidable
pressure
upon
her
;
a
consenting
party
,
but
under
protest
.
That
is
my
view
of
the
lady
.
"
M
.
Floçon
shook
his
head
.
Prepossessions
with
him
were
tenacious
,
and
he
had
made
up
his
mind
about
the
Countess
's
guilt
.
"
When
you
again
interrogate
her
,
M
.
le
Juge
,
by
the
light
of
your
present
knowledge
,
I
believe
you
will
think
otherwise
.
She
will
confess
,
--you
will
make
her
,
your
skill
is
unrivalled
,
--and
you
will
then
admit
