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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40491 ***
+
+    _VIZETELLY'S SIXPENNY SERIES OF AMUSING AND ENTERTAINING BOOKS._
+
+                                 XIII.
+
+                        THE RED LOTTERY TICKET.
+
+                        BY FORTUNÉ DU BOISGOBEY.
+
+
+    LONDON:
+    _VIZETELLY & CO., 42 CATHERINE STREET, STRAND,_
+    1887.
+
+
+
+
+THE RED LOTTERY TICKET.
+
+
+
+
+I.
+
+
+One day early in April, the month when the lilacs flower and when women
+begin to display light apparel, a cab could be seen crossing the bridge
+which spans the Seine between the Faubourg St. Germain and the Louvre,
+and which is known to the Parisians as the Pont des Saints Pères. The
+vehicle was going at a quiet trot, and it was driven by a jovial jehu,
+who hummed a song as he cracked his whip and jerked his reins. Both
+windows were down, and from each of them came a cloud of bluish
+smoke--the smoke of the cigars of two young fellows who were gaily
+chatting inside, and who, although they came from the so-called "Latin
+Quarter" of Paris, were quite unlike the students immortalised by
+Gavarni's pencil. They were, indeed, dressed with careful taste, and
+displayed none of the questionable manners which may be acquired in the
+drinking dens of the Boulevard St. Michel. One of them, a fair-haired
+young fellow with soft blue eyes, was named George Caumont, and was the
+son of a Norman cattle breeder, who lived on his land, saving up his
+cash, and making his only child an allowance of three thousand francs a
+year, so that he might complete, in Paris, the study of law which he had
+commenced at Caen. The other, a dark young man with curly moustaches and
+a bold expression of face, was the son of a petty nobleman of Périgord,
+who had left him a heavily mortgaged estate with a somewhat
+high-sounding name. He was called Adhémar de Puymirol, and lived upon a
+small allowance made him by an aunt who wished him to become a doctor.
+
+He and George Caumont had met shortly after their arrival in Paris, and
+their acquaintance had speedily become intimacy, for they had the same
+ambition and much the same tastes. They both regarded their present
+situation as a probationary one, hoping sooner or later to contract a
+brilliant marriage; and they governed themselves accordingly, merely
+attending the courts and the clinical lectures when they had nothing
+better to do, and just occasionally passing an examination in order not
+to discourage Papa Caumont and Aunt Bessèges. But everything comes to an
+end, and with their relatives grumbling and their creditors barking
+loudly, there were days when the thought of the future filled them with
+dismay. Still, on this beautiful spring morning, everything seemed
+tinged with a roseate hue, and they even laughed at the enforced
+departure for the provinces apparently so near at hand. "Leave Paris!"
+said Adhémar, gazing at the scene around him. "Never, George; I would
+rather give lessons in anatomy to freshmen than go and bury myself in
+Périgord to doctor my aunt's farmers."
+
+"And I," sighed George, "would rather act as a college tutor than devote
+the rest of my life to cattle breeding. We are at the end of our tether,
+unfortunately, and if we don't meet two rich girls before the close of
+the term, we shall be obliged to decamp, for Paris will be too hot for
+us."
+
+"Ah, well, we will go to one of the watering-places where heiresses are
+met."
+
+"You are always so confident!"
+
+"That is the only way to succeed. If our friend Pierre Dargental had
+become discouraged, we shouldn't now be going to celebrate the close of
+his bachelor life at lunch. Dargental is no better than we are, and yet
+he has found a widow of title worth more than a million francs."
+
+"And all he brings her on his side will be his debts--some three hundred
+thousand francs."
+
+"Oh! in this part of the world, a man shrewd enough to obtain credit to
+that amount can aspire to anything--"
+
+"Except to the hand of an honest woman," replied George. "There are some
+pretty hard stories about this Countess de Lescombat's behaviour after
+her first husband's death."
+
+"Well, they say she accepted Dargental's offer of marriage before her
+period of mourning expired. She consoled herself a little too soon,
+perhaps, but that is a matter of no consequence, after all."
+
+"All the same, I should much prefer a less wealthy and more innocent
+girl to a rich lady of rank, with a very doubtful reputation."
+
+"But one can't always have one's choice in such matters. Dargental is
+about to enter a very wealthy set. He will introduce us to it, and we
+ought to succeed in finding what we want there. So it does not become us
+to find fault with him."
+
+"Will any of his old flames be at lunch to-day?" inquired George.
+
+"I believe that Blanche Pornic, the actress, is the only favoured one."
+
+"She is very amusing."
+
+"Yes; and thoroughly good-hearted."
+
+The vehicle had crossed over the Place du Carrousel, and was now behind
+five or six others, which had formed into a line to pass through the
+narrow passage conducting into the Rue de Rivoli. "Five minutes to
+twelve!" exclaimed Puymirol, glancing at his watch. "They will be at
+table by the time we reach the Lion d'Or. Why doesn't this idiot of a
+cabman drive faster?"
+
+"It isn't his fault. The block prevents him from doing so. There are at
+least half a dozen traps ahead of us."
+
+As George spoke, he put his head out of the window, and saw that the
+passage would not be free for several minutes. Three or four
+pedestrians, tired of waiting, had turned to retrace their steps; and
+among them Caumont noticed a man wearing a broad-brimmed hat, pulled
+down over his eyes, and a full black beard concealing the lower part of
+his face. At a distance of ten paces behind him came two unprepossessing
+individuals, who seemed anxious not to lose sight of this bearded
+individual. Caumont rather lightly concluded that they were detectives
+watching the fellow, but as he had no personal interest in the matter he
+again ensconced himself in his corner and said to his friend: "Have a
+little patience. We shall soon move on." As he spoke, he turned, and
+failed to see that the bearded man rested his hand for an instant on the
+door of the vehicle, and then without glancing at the occupants, dropped
+something that fell upon Puymirol's boot.
+
+"What is that?" cried Adhémar, "what scoundrel ventures to bombard us in
+this style?"
+
+"I have no idea," replied George, and on hastily turning again, he
+caught a fresh glimpse of the bearded man, whose back only was now
+visible, for he had passed them, and was slowing proceeding across the
+Place du Carrousel. Just then the cab moved on, and in an instant the
+pedestrians were left far behind. "Whatever the article is it must have
+been thrown in by a man who just passed us," resumed George; "and he
+must have done so with extraordinary swiftness and dexterity, for his
+movement escaped my notice entirely."
+
+Meanwhile Puymirol had picked up from the bottom of the cab a handsome
+pocket-book, which, with his friend's assent, he now began to open. "The
+man who threw that in here," said George, "must be a thief, who in his
+anxiety to escape arrest, and to get rid of the stolen article, dropped
+it into our cab. When pickpockets find themselves in danger of capture,
+they very often resort to that device."
+
+"Well," rejoined Puymirol, "at least there isn't the slightest vestige
+of a bank-note inside, as you can see for yourself. Nor are there any
+visiting-cards, nothing but papers, and not many of them. In this
+compartment there are some lottery tickets, just look: The Tunisian
+Lottery, the Amiens Lottery, and the Lottery of the Decorative Art
+Society. And here on the other side there are some letters."
+
+"Letters!" repeated George. "So much the better. We shall perhaps find
+in them some clue that will enable us to discover the person from whom
+the pocket-book was stolen."
+
+"You don't know whether it was stolen," remarked Adhémar. "Besides, who
+would think of stealing lottery tickets?"
+
+"True, but it perhaps contained money, which the thief extracted before
+throwing away; besides, a letter is sometimes of great value to its
+writer."
+
+"Hum, these ones were written by women. There are three of them--each in
+a different handwriting, and, strange to say, not one of them signed,
+not even with a Christian name. The owner of the pocket-book must have
+had uncommonly prudent sweethearts. I wonder why he kept these notes in
+this case?"
+
+"Because he intended to make use of them at some future time."
+
+"You think he was a blackmailer, eh? That's quite possible."
+
+"That theory would at least explain the robbery. If the women in
+question knew that these specimens of their handwriting had fallen into
+our hands, they would be more easy in mind, for we don't know them, and
+it is not likely that we ever shall."
+
+"We are not sure of that. Stranger things than that happen in Paris. But
+do you think it advisable for us to take the pocket-book to the lost
+property office at the Prefecture of Police?"
+
+"No, I think it would be better to burn it with its contents."
+
+"Why? I feel strongly inclined to preserve it. One never knows what may
+happen, and it would afford me infinite satisfaction to discover one of
+these unknown correspondents."
+
+"Do so if you like, but I don't want to mix myself up in any such
+affair. I shall forget the matter, and I beg that you will never remind
+me of it."
+
+"Agreed, on conditions that you say nothing about it to any one at
+lunch. There will be a parcel of chatterers present."
+
+"You need have no fears of that. I will be as silent as a fish."
+
+"All right, then. Here we are! I must put these letters out of sight,"
+said Puymirol, and he stowed the Russian leather-case away in his coat
+pocket.
+
+The cab had drawn up in front of the Lion d'Or restaurant in the Rue du
+Helder, and the two friends alighted, and asked for the room reserved
+for M. Dargental's party. The head-waiter replied that the gentleman
+referred to had not yet arrived, though he had ordered lunch to be
+served at twelve o'clock precisely; and he then led the friends to an
+apartment where they found two people waiting. One of them was a pale
+young man, about twenty-eight years of age, as phlegmatic as a
+Scandinavian, and as dissipated as a Russian. Although always ready to
+drink, to play cards, and to spend his nights in bad company, he never
+laughed and rarely smiled. A good-hearted fellow, however, and popular
+in the set he mingled with. His name was Charles Balmer, and he was
+afflicted with the belief that he was dying from consumption. Beside him
+in the private room sat Blanche Pornic, the actress, Dargental's old
+flame. Tall, and lithe of form to a degree that had won her the surname
+of the Reed, she was very charming, with her pale golden hair, her brown
+eyes, sparkling with mischief, her regular features, her graceful
+movements, and her silvery voice--a voice that went straight to one's
+heart. When Puymirol and Caumont arrived she and Balmer were complaining
+of Dargental's non-arrival, and after some comments had been exchanged
+concerning his delay, Blanche exclaimed: "We have given him quite
+enough grace. Come, Balmer, ring, and tell them to serve us."
+
+"Nothing would please me better," exclaimed Balmer. "I am as hungry as a
+dog."
+
+"That is a good sign for a sick man," remarked Puymirol.
+
+"By no means. What, can it be that you, a medical man, are ignorant of
+the fact that consumptives eat like ogres?"
+
+"That is all bosh; besides, you are no more a consumptive than I am."
+
+"I haven't more than two years to live, as I know perfectly well. If you
+wish to satisfy yourself on the point, you only have to examine my
+lungs."
+
+"No, no," cried Blanche. "This is no hospital, and you disgust me with
+your medical talk. To table, gentlemen! I will sit opposite Dargental.
+He isn't here, but I will imagine that he is. Caumont may take a seat on
+my right, and Puymirol on my left. And now let us partake of the
+funereal repast."
+
+"Funereal is the very word," said Adhémar. "The invitations we received
+had mourning borders."
+
+"And the bill of fare also," chimed in George.
+
+"Pierre made a great mistake," remarked Blanche; "such jokes always
+bring bad luck."
+
+"The fact that he hasn't come is sufficient proof of that. I wonder if
+he has broken a leg."
+
+"No, indeed! Dargental is too lucky to meet with any such accident. His
+noble betrothed must have got wind of this breakfast, and have forbidden
+him to attend it."
+
+"In that case, he would, at least, have warned you."
+
+"Do you regret his absence?" asked Blanche, with a glance at Puymirol.
+
+"How can I when I am near you?"
+
+"Nonsense! you always will be a provincial. Confine your attention to
+these oysters. They are delicious, and this Sauterne is of the best
+quality."
+
+This preliminary chat was soon interrupted by the lively clatter of
+knives and forks, and the tinkling of glasses. All the gentlemen of the
+party ate and drank heartily, but Blanche, despite her commendatory
+words, did not seem inclined to finish her oysters, and only just
+moistened her lips in the Château Yquem. "What is the matter with you,
+Blanche?" cried Balmer, between two mouthfuls. "I have seen you eat with
+a much better appetite. Is Pierre's marriage the cause of this falling
+off? You must have been expecting it for several months, however."
+
+"I was so well prepared for it that I myself urged him to take the step.
+And as for being angry, that can hardly be, as I came expressly to lunch
+with him. He no longer cares for me; well, no matter, I can only rely on
+his wife to avenge me. She has already given conclusive proofs of her
+ability in that direction."
+
+"Indeed?" inquired Balmer, with an air of pretended innocence.
+
+"If you don't know her story, I will tell it you," rejoined Blanche
+abruptly.
+
+"I know only what Dargental has seen fit to tell us," said Balmer.
+
+"Well then, once upon a time, as they say in fairy tales, there lived in
+Lyons a silk-worker, who had an illegitimate daughter. She was very
+beautiful, but she was no better than her mother. Her father vainly
+tried to repress her evil tendency, but at the age of fifteen, tired of
+being whipped and scolded, she eloped with a mountebank, under whose
+tuition she learned a host of things--circus-riding, trapeze-performing,
+and so forth."
+
+"All the elegant accomplishments!" sneered Balmer.
+
+"Two years afterwards, Octavia Crochard, as she was called, appeared in
+a new character. A respectable old gentleman who had fallen in love with
+her sent her to a boarding school at Saint Mandé, where she passed as
+his niece, every one being ignorant of her antecedents. She was so
+clever naturally that she soon made up for lost time, and speedily
+became a very accomplished young woman. She even learned how to conceal
+her proclivities, but she was none the better for that. Not long
+afterwards the old gentleman died, leaving her, in his will, an income
+of twelve thousand francs, on conditions that she took his name."
+
+"A nice condition! What an idiot he must have been!"
+
+"Octavia was shrewd enough to behave herself after she left the
+boarding-school. She engaged a companion or chaperon, and, thanks to the
+recommendation of the lady-principal of the school which she had just
+left, she succeeded in securing an acquaintance with people of position,
+and before many months had elapsed, she made a conquest of another old
+simpleton, a _blasé_ millionaire, who married her shortly afterwards."
+
+"This is a very interesting story," said Balmer, as he emptied his fifth
+glass of champagne; "but what has it to do with the countess?"
+
+"What! haven't you guessed that this same Crochard girl is now known as
+the Countess de Lescombat, and will soon take the name of Madame
+d'Argental?--Dargental with an apostrophe, be it understood, for she has
+insisted that Pierre should make this change in his name. In fact, to
+please her, he has purchased the title of marquis somewhere in Italy.
+Octavia does not wish to marry beneath her station."
+
+"Have you communicated all this information to your friend Dargental?"
+
+"No, I have taken good care not to do that. He would imagine I had
+invented the story, and slandered the countess, from jealousy. But he
+will hear it from plenty of others, by and by. He already knows that
+Lescombat bequeathed his entire fortune to his wife only about a month
+before his death, and he will learn, sooner or later on, that the
+pretended attack of apoplexy that killed the count was a plain case of
+suicide. The old nobleman felt so much regret at having despoiled his
+natural heirs that he poisoned himself with prussic acid."
+
+"But why didn't he alter his will?" inquired George Caumont.
+
+"He couldn't; Octavia watched him too closely. Besides, she is a perfect
+Circe, in her power to bewitch men. She has poor Dargental completely
+under her control, for it is evident she has confiscated him this
+morning."
+
+Adhémar and George could not repress a smile. They plainly realised that
+Blanche would never forgive Dargental for deserting her. As for the
+story about Madame de Lescombat, they thought it advisable to believe
+merely half of it; but even that was quite enough to make them pity the
+imprudent man who was about to place himself at the mercy of this wily
+widow. However, after all, why should she want to marry him, as he was
+not worth a copper?
+
+"Are you sure that he is at her house now?" inquired Balmer. "Remember,
+he may be ill."
+
+"He lives but a short distance from here, on the Boulevard Haussmann. We
+might send a messenger there to inquire after him," suggested George.
+
+"I object to that proposal," said Blanche. "He would imagine that I
+could not get on without him. Balmer, fill my glass. Gentlemen, I drink
+to your sweethearts."
+
+The toast met with no response, for, at that moment, a waiter entered,
+bearing a salver upon which a blue envelope was lying. "Here is a
+telegram which has just arrived for Monsieur Dargental," said the
+attendant. "Shall I lay it beside his plate?"
+
+"Hand it here!" cried Balmer, seizing hold of the missive. "A telegram
+is not a letter, and it will certainly do no harm for me to open this
+one. It will perhaps explain why Pierre has left us in the lurch, after
+inviting us here." He tore open the envelope as he spoke, and he had
+scarcely glanced at the contents, than he exclaimed triumphantly: "It is
+from the countess! You see that he is not at her house."
+
+"Let me see it," said Blanche, holding out her hand; and, glancing at
+the missive, she added: "It is from her. Listen, gentlemen: 'My dear
+Pierre--I should be very sorry to curtail your farewells to your friends
+of both sexes, but I should be greatly obliged to you if you would come
+to my house immediately after the lunch.' Both sexes! that is a dig at
+me. This countess has a very easy style, and she is as prudent as a
+serpent, for she has merely signed her christian name, Octavia, for fear
+of compromising herself, I suppose."
+
+As the actress spoke, she passed the telegram to her left-hand
+neighbour. Puymirol, on examining it, at once perceived that it was not
+a genuine telegram, but one of those communications, the sender of which
+pens as many words as he pleases upon a slip of paper; he then seals the
+latter up, and it is despatched by the pneumatic tube service to any
+part of Paris. The handwriting of this particular "telegraphic-note" was
+therefore the countess's, not a clerk's, and Adhémar noted that it was
+peculiarly firm and decided in character.
+
+"Well," said Blanche, "as the countess hasn't kept Pierre a prisoner, I
+begin to think that he must be playing a trick on us."
+
+"Unless some misfortune has befallen him," suggested Puymirol.
+
+"A misfortune will befall him when he marries, there is no doubt of
+that; but Dargental has no business to treat us like nobodies. If you
+take my advice, we will each pay a share of the bill and decamp."
+
+"Speak for yourself, I am still thirsty," growled Balmer. "You can go if
+you like, but I intend to have my coffee and season it with a few
+glasses of cognac."
+
+"Then you can settle the bill, and I will send you my share of it as
+soon as I learn the amount. I am going. Who loves me, follows me!" said
+Blanche, rising from table.
+
+Adhémar and George followed her example. "I shall pass Dargental's door
+on leaving here, and I will hand his doorkeeper that pneumatic
+telegram," remarked Adhémar, placing the missive in his pocket beside
+the pocket-book thrown into the cab.
+
+Balmer declining to move, the three others now went downstairs together.
+Blanche then sprang into a cab which stood outside the restaurant and
+drove off, saying, "Come and see me one of these days. I should like to
+hear the end of this affair."
+
+"What do you think of it all?" said Caumont to Adhémar, as soon as the
+actress had gone.
+
+"I think," replied Puymirol, "that the countess is an adventuress,
+Blanche a viper, and Dargental a fool."
+
+"Why, not long ago, you proclaimed him to be shrewdness personified!"
+
+"I must confess that that opinion seems erroneous. But let us go to
+Dargental's place; we shall, perhaps, find the solution of the enigma
+there. It isn't far off."
+
+The house in which Dargental lived stood on the Boulevard Haussmann.
+They soon reached the door, and the house-porter, on being questioned by
+Adhémar, replied that he believed that M. Dargental was at home. At all
+events, he had not seen him pass out. Dargental's rooms were situated on
+the second floor, to which the two friends duly climbed. Puymirol rang,
+but no one answered the summons, and the bell was pulled three times
+more, but without any better success. The two friends were, indeed,
+about to go off disappointed, when a servant in livery, carrying a
+package under his arm, appeared upon the landing. This servant was
+Dargental's valet, and he knew Puymirol and Caumont by sight. "I fear
+that the marquis has gone out," he remarked. On hearing this title,
+which Dargental had never borne before, the two friends exchanged a
+smile. "He was to lunch out to-day," continued the valet, "and he was
+already dressed when he sent me off on an errand at about eleven
+o'clock."
+
+"It was with us that he meant to lunch, and we haven't seen anything of
+him," said Caumont.
+
+"If you gentlemen would like to come in, I have the key," now suggested
+the servant.
+
+"Very well, open the door, then."
+
+The valet thereupon ushered them into an ante-chamber which they had
+traversed more than once. "Is there a fire in the house?" inquired
+Puymirol. "There is a strong smell of smoke here."
+
+"Of powder, rather," muttered Caumont.
+
+The valet, apparently quite as surprised by the smell as they were,
+opened the dining-room door, crossed the threshold, looked in, and then
+suddenly recoiled, exclaiming, in evident terror: "My God! my master is
+dead! Monsieur le marquis has killed himself!"
+
+Puymirol pushed the valet aside, and rushed into the room. It was but
+dimly lighted by stained glass windows, and Puymirol did not at first
+perceive Dargental, upon whom the valet's eyes had chanced to fall just
+as he crossed the threshold. Madame de Lescombat's unfortunate lover was
+sitting, or rather reclining, in a large arm-chair. Seen from a
+distance, he seemed to be asleep. Puymirol hastened forward, took hold
+of his hand, found that it was icy cold, and then perceived that his
+face was livid, his eyes half closed, and his mouth distorted. "Open the
+window, quick, quick!" he cried, and Caumont, forestalling the valet,
+instantly obeyed the order.
+
+In the full light it was seen that stains of blood tinged Dargental's
+shirt front, which was torn and scorched by a bullet in the vicinity of
+the heart; his waistcoat was unbuttoned, the lapels of his coat were
+pushed back and creased, while on the floor at his feet gleamed the
+shining barrel of a revolver. "My master! my poor master!" groaned the
+valet.
+
+"You can not restore him to life, my lad," said Puymirol, who never lost
+his presence of mind. "This is no time for weeping. The commissary of
+police must be warned. Fetch him immediately, and, on your way out, tell
+the doorkeeper what has happened, and ask him to come up. We don't care
+to remain alone with the body. Upon the whole, it will be best for us to
+go down with you, I think. Our unfortunate friend is beyond all human
+aid, and the suicide must be established at once."
+
+Neither Caumont nor the valet made any objections, and the trio hastened
+downstairs. "My master has shot himself," cried the valet to the
+doorkeeper. "These gentlemen can testify that I was not present when the
+accident occurred! On returning home, a few moments ago, I found them
+ringing at the door, so I opened it for them with my key."
+
+"It is really impossible," said the doorkeeper in alarm. "I saw him this
+morning, and he seemed to be in the best of spirits. He even warned me
+that he meant to give up his apartments on account of his approaching
+marriage."
+
+"We didn't come here to talk," interrupted Puymirol. "This fellow is
+going for the commissary of police; you had better come upstairs with
+us, and remain until he brings some official back with him."
+
+The doorkeeper assented; the valet hastened off; and the two friends,
+having again ascended the stairs, this time with the cerberus of the
+house, re-entered the apartments where nothing had been disturbed during
+their absence. Not caring to approach the body, they all three of them
+remained in the ante-chamber. "Are you well acquainted with this valet?"
+Puymirol inquired of the doorkeeper.
+
+"Yes, sir. He has been in Monsieur Dargental's employ for three years. I
+assure you that he is quite incapable of a crime, and fully deserves all
+the confidence my unfortunate tenant placed in him. This very morning,
+Monsieur Dargental gave him a letter for the Countess de Lescombat, his
+intended wife. I was standing at my door as he passed out, and Jean
+stopped for a moment to chat with me. While we were talking, he said:
+'Ah! Monsieur Pinchon, I am so attached to my master that--'"
+
+The sound of footsteps upon the stairs cut M. Pinchon short. The valet
+was returning, bringing with him in lieu of the commissary, who was
+absent from his office, that functionary's secretary, an intelligent,
+wide-awake-looking young man. Having been enlightened on the way by the
+servant, the secretary walked straight to the body, examined it
+carefully but without touching it, and said curtly: "This chair is not
+in its accustomed place."
+
+The other chairs were, in fact, arranged in lines along the walls, but
+this one stood in the middle of the room, and almost directly opposite
+the door. "This is the first time I ever heard of a man sitting down to
+shoot himself," continued the official.
+
+"Do you suspect a crime, then?" inquired Puymirol.
+
+"I have formed no opinion as yet. A doctor will come with the
+commissary, and make a report. In the meantime, gentlemen, will you have
+the kindness to give me your names and addresses, for it does not seem
+necessary that you should be present at the investigation. You will be
+questioned later on, if needful."
+
+"I am named Adhémar de Puymirol; my friend's name is George Caumont, and
+we live together, at No. 14, in the Rue de Medicis."
+
+"Very well," said the secretary, as he entered the names in his
+note-book. "You were very intimate, I believe, with this Monsieur--"
+
+"Monsieur Pierre Dargental," concluded Puymirol. "We certainly knew him
+very well; I especially. He had invited us to lunch with him this
+morning in company with Monsieur Charles Balmer, who resides, I believe,
+in the Rue Auber, and an actress named Blanche Pornic, who lives in the
+Avenue de Messine."
+
+"Was the lunch ordered by Monsieur Dargental?"
+
+"Yes, and we ate it without him. Afterwards we called here, my friend
+and myself, to ascertain what had become of him, and we were ringing at
+his door when the valet, who happened to come upstairs, opened it for
+us."
+
+"I am aware of that. You must have been greatly surprised on entering.
+To what cause do you attribute this suicide?"
+
+"I know no cause for it. Dargental was about to be married; besides, it
+seems to me very strange that he should have killed himself just as we
+were expecting him to celebrate the close of his bachelor life."
+
+"Yes, and all the stranger as he was quite ready to go out. See, his hat
+has rolled behind the chair, and his cane has fallen upon the floor. All
+this does not seem to harmonize with the care he appears to have taken
+in seating himself."
+
+"That is true. The whole affair is incomprehensible. Dargental must have
+momentarily lost his mind."
+
+"In that case he must have had a revolver in his pocket at the time; but
+that weapon there is not one of the sort a man usually carries upon his
+person. It is too large and too heavy for that."
+
+"All I can say is that the weapon belonged to him. I have often seen it
+hanging, with others, against the wall of his bedroom. I am certain that
+it must bear the name of the dealer who sold it to him--Galland."
+
+"That point will be verified by the commissary, and the doctor will tell
+us if the blood could have spouted a distance of two yards from the
+arm-chair. See, here is a pool of it upon the floor, almost at my very
+feet." Puymirol hastily recoiled, for he perceived, for the first time,
+that he was almost stepping in it. "One more question, sir," said the
+'secretary.' "Had Monsieur Dargental any enemies?"
+
+"Not to my knowledge. On the contrary, he had many friends. Besides, no
+one could have anything to gain by his death, for he had no fortune."
+
+"Oh, no," sighed the doorkeeper. "An execution was put in only the other
+day by one of his creditors."
+
+"Nevertheless, he lived in handsome style," replied the secretary, "and
+it is very probable that he had more or less money in the house or about
+his person; in fact, judging from the apparent disorder of his clothing,
+it seems more than likely that his pockets were searched after his
+death. But I will detain you no longer, gentlemen. You will hold
+yourselves, of course, at the disposal of the authorities--I have your
+address."
+
+"Certainly, sir," said Puymirol, who had had quite enough of this covert
+examination. George Caumont was also anxious to get away, for this talk
+in the presence of his friend's lifeless body made him sick at heart.
+The valet was about to beat a retreat with them, but the dismissal was
+not for him, for the secretary remarked drily: "Remain. The commissary
+will want to talk with you."
+
+"I hope you have no further need of me," now said the doorkeeper.
+
+"Yes, I have, but I shall not keep you long."
+
+M. Pinchon's dismay was pitiful to behold, and the two friends hastily
+availed themselves of the permission to depart. "What do you think of
+this catastrophe?" inquired Puymirol, as soon as they reached the
+street.
+
+"I really don't know what to think of it, and I must admit that I shall
+make no attempt to solve the mystery. The authorities will take charge
+of that."
+
+"Well, Dargental did me many good turns, and I should like to avenge his
+death, for I really believe he was murdered."
+
+"Indeed! But whom do you suspect? And what do you suppose was the object
+of the crime? Robbery?"
+
+"No, he had nothing but debts. The porter, you recollect, told us that
+his furniture had been attached. Some woman committed the murder. A
+woman who was or who had been in love with him."
+
+"Then she killed him from jealousy, you think?"
+
+"Jealousy or revenge, which amounts to about the same thing. It must
+have been one of his recent flames, probably the last one."
+
+"What, Blanche Pornic? But she lunched with us."
+
+"It is just because she lunched with us that I suspect her. She came to
+the restaurant merely to prove an _alibi_. She may very well have killed
+Dargental at eleven o'clock and yet have reached the Lion d'Or before
+noon. Balmer can tell us at what hour she arrived. Besides, she may have
+hired some other person to commit the crime in her stead. By the way,
+have you forgotten what she said during lunch? Despite her sweet words
+one could guess that she hated Dargental."
+
+"Indeed! why should she hate him?"
+
+"Because he was going to marry Madame de Lescombat. She could not
+forgive him for preferring the countess to herself. And by the way, if
+the inquiry proves that Dargental has really been murdered, Blanche
+would be delighted should her rival be accused of the crime."
+
+"Well, she certainly didn't act in the right way to divert suspicion
+from herself. It is strange that she should have treated us to that
+narrative of the countess's career quite unsolicited; and if she is as
+shrewd as you pretend--"
+
+"Did you notice her strange manner during the repast, and her abrupt
+departure afterwards? She heard us say that we were going to Dargental's
+to find out what had become of him, and she did not care to await the
+result. She knew the cause of his absence only too well."
+
+"You may call these indications, if you like," replied George, "still
+they hardly prove that Mademoiselle Pornic instigated the murder, and I
+don't think her capable of such baseness. Dargental must have committed
+suicide."
+
+"Oh, a man doesn't kill himself like that with his hat on his head and a
+cane in his hand. It occurs to me now that his shirt was not scorched as
+much as it would have been if the pistol had been placed against it. The
+shot must have been fired from a distance of a few yards, and Dargental
+probably fell just where we saw the pool of blood. The murderer
+afterwards raised him up and seated him in the arm-chair."
+
+"That's possible," muttered George, somewhat shaken in his convictions.
+
+"Ah, you are coming round to my way of thinking, at last. Well, I return
+to my first injunction. Look for the woman. Where is the woman?"
+
+"Well, if you feel so positive that a woman is mixed up in the affair,"
+said Caumont, after a long pause, "I am surprised that you don't think
+of that countess whose first husband ended so badly."
+
+"That's absurd!" exclaimed Puymirol. "The first husband committed
+suicide, and his widow certainly had no reason to make away with the man
+she meant to take as his successor."
+
+"You know nothing about that."
+
+"Mademoiselle Pornic's inuendoes will rankle in your mind, I see. You
+certainly place a deal of confidence in that venomous creature."
+
+"I might retort that you seem to feel a great deal of confidence in the
+countess. Do you think of offering yourself as a substitute for
+Dargental?"
+
+"No, but the countess is no worse than many other women, and your
+suspicions are too ridiculous to be entertained for a moment. Don't you
+recollect that telegram in which Madame de Lescombat said: 'I don't wish
+to interfere with your farewell entertainment to your friends of both
+sexes, but come and see me immediately afterwards.' So she must have
+known that Dargental was breakfasting with one or more of his old
+flames, and feeling no jealousy on that account, she had no grievance
+against him."
+
+"Did she really say 'your friends of both sexes?'"
+
+"Those were the very words, my dear fellow, as you shall see for
+yourself. I put the telegram in my pocket, you recollect, with the
+intention of giving it to Dargental. Here it is." And Adhémar, after
+rummaging in his pocket, drew from it not only the telegram, but also
+the mysterious pocket-book. Then, turning suddenly, he dragged George
+behind one of the newspaper kiosks on the boulevard, along which they
+were now walking. "Didn't Blanche say that Dargental had just been
+invested with the title of marquis?" he asked.
+
+"Yes, and she must have told the truth, for the valet said, 'Monsieur le
+Marquis,' in speaking of his master."
+
+"Blanche also said, did she not, that Dargental had altered his name to
+D'Argental?"
+
+"To please the Countess de Lescombat. The news did not surprise me. For
+ennobling one's self by means of an apostrophe is a very common thing in
+these days."
+
+"Well, look at this pocket-book. Here is a marquis's cornet, and a
+capital A; that is to say, Marquis d'Argental."
+
+"What! you think that this case belonged--"
+
+"To our friend Pierre. And now I understand his death. He was killed by
+some one who wished to regain possession of the letters he kept in this
+case. So the crime was committed, or at least instigated, by a woman."
+
+"I admire your bold reasoning, though I think it decidedly paradoxical.
+The scoundrel who stole this pocket-book would not have thrown it into
+our cab."
+
+"You told me yourself that he was closely followed by two persons who
+seemed to be watching him. He perhaps feared that he would be arrested
+and searched; and he did not know that we were intimate with Dargental.
+He thought that we should keep the pocket-book, and burn the letters
+which could be of no possible interest to us, and which he was anxious
+to get rid of at any cost."
+
+"Then, according to you, that man intended to return these letters to
+the various women they compromised. You must admit that this supposition
+is absurd in the extreme."
+
+"Oh! he was only acting on behalf of _one_ of the women."
+
+"Which one? There are three letters, but each of them is written in a
+different hand. You said so yourself."
+
+"I may have been mistaken. I think I will examine them more closely. Let
+us take a seat in front of that café. I see a table in a corner where we
+shall be comparatively alone."
+
+George Caumont assented to the proposal, and as soon as the friends were
+seated in a little niche in front of the Café Américain, Puymirol opened
+the pocket-book. "Let us proceed systematically," he remarked. "Here is
+the first letter. It is not long, but it is expressive. 'My adored one,'
+it says, 'I am ready to leave everything to follow you, and to
+sacrifice, for your sake, all that I prize most in this world, my
+children and my good name. When shall we start? Say the word, and I will
+join you. Take me to the end of the world, and make me your slave. I
+shall be only too happy, for I cannot live apart from you.' I have
+skipped the kisses. There are too many of them," concluded Adhémar,
+sneering.
+
+"My children!" repeated George, ironically. "Then Blanche certainly did
+not write that letter. She has no children."
+
+"Nor has Madame de Lescombat any. But let us examine the next missive:
+'My friend, I have loved you, I love you still; but if you go on in this
+way, I shall no longer love you. I shall even hate you, and I do not
+conceal from you that there lurks in my heart a feeling that you would
+do well not to arouse. Have you ever seen Sardou's "Hatred" played?
+Well, I am a Florentine Parisienne, and I should know how to avenge my
+wrongs, as Italian women revenged theirs in the middle ages. These are
+no meaningless threats, my dear. To extricate you from a terrible
+predicament I once committed an act that might have sent me straight to
+the Assizes, and I mean to be rewarded by your devotion. You must choose
+between her and me. You understand me, do you not? I await in reply, not
+words, but acts. I shall expect you to-morrow, you bad fellow, whom I
+love so much. Bring me what you swore to return to me, or there will be
+bitter war.'"
+
+"The deuce!" exclaimed George, "that woman doesn't bandy words. I
+should think her quite capable of conniving at Dargental's murder to
+regain possession of a letter in which she owns that she had committed a
+crime. She does not state what crime, but she may have committed
+forgery; and if Dargental profited by the deed, as she says clearly
+enough, he certainly had good reason to fear her vengeance."
+
+"Then, if this letter came from Blanche Pornic, you would be inclined to
+think that the murder was committed by her orders, and for her benefit?"
+
+"I would not swear that such was the case; but it would seem very
+probable."
+
+"Well, I know her; and I am sure that she was the writer of this
+threatening missive. 'You must choose between her and me.' 'Her' is
+Madame de Lescombat, her rival; and I would wager almost any amount that
+the letter is not a week old. A day or two after it was written,
+Dargental's intended marriage was announced. He had refused to fulfil
+his promise, and Blanche avenged herself accordingly."
+
+"But if they had quarrelled to that point, he would not have invited her
+to lunch with us this morning."
+
+"There is nothing to prove that she did not invite herself, in order to
+throw us off the track. But let us pass on to the third letter." So
+saying, Puymirol drew it from the pocket-book, unfolded it, and uttered
+an exclamation of astonishment. "What is the matter?" asked George.
+
+Puymirol, instead of replying, proceeded to unfold the telegram, which
+he had drawn from his pocket, with the Russian leather case, and spread
+it out upon the table beside the third letter, which he had not yet
+read. "This last missive certainly comes from Madame de Lescombat," he
+grunted. "The handwriting is precisely the same as that of the
+telegraphic note."
+
+"Then Madame de Lescombat was probably as deeply interested as her
+rivals in regaining possession of her correspondence. You must admit
+that."
+
+"Yes; but as Dargental was about to marry her, he would have returned
+her the letter, had she desired it."
+
+"Who knows? Read it, and let me know your opinion afterwards."
+
+Puymirol complied, though somewhat reluctantly, for he was afraid he
+would be obliged to change his first opinion. He read as follows: "'My
+king, my love, my life, I am intoxicated with happiness. What blissful
+hours I have spent with you! When will they return? Why did I allow you
+to depart? I feel a mad desire to hasten after you, and throw myself in
+the arms that clasped me so fondly. Before I met you I never knew what
+it was to love. Now, however, my happiness is perfect, and I have proved
+to you how ardent is my affection. I have placed myself in your power by
+confiding my great secret to you. In a word, you might ruin me. And if I
+write this, it is in order that you may have in your possession a
+proof, a confession. If I deceived you, if I ceased to love you--But I
+am blaspheming! I shall love you until my latest breath. But if I ever
+give you any cause of complaint, show me no mercy, crush me, deliver me
+up; I shall have deserved my fate. Oh, when will the day come when I
+shall be able to acknowledge you as my lord and master before all the
+world? When shall I bear your name? It seems to me that day will never
+come. Eight months longer to wait! Eight months during which we must
+conceal our love, and pretend to mourn a being I loathed. And what if
+you learned to love another in the meantime? What if your infatuation
+should return for the woman I hate the most because it was she whom you
+most loved. Ah! I should die. It would kill me; but I should not die
+without being avenged upon that creature.'"
+
+"Well, what do you think of that?" asked George.
+
+"I think that the lady was desperately in love with Dargental, and that
+she was out of her mind when she wrote that letter."
+
+"It was evidently written just two months after her husband's death, for
+she deplores the fact that her happiness must be deferred eight months
+longer, and the law does not allow a woman to marry again until ten
+months of widowhood have expired."
+
+"But it is at the least two years since Lescombat died of apoplexy."
+
+"Or of something else. Well, the marriage was deferred for some reason
+or other, which is conclusive proof that the courtship was stormy. The
+countess has had plenty of time to change her mind."
+
+"She did not change it, as she meant to marry Dargental next week."
+
+"I admit that; but perhaps she was not so much in earnest as formerly.
+Dargental, in spite of his promises, had not severed his connection with
+Blanche Pornic, and Madame de Lescombat may have regretted saying, and
+above all, writing, so much; she herself could not break the engagement,
+as he had her completely in his power."
+
+"And you fancy that she could devise no other means but murder to escape
+him. That is absurd, my dear fellow."
+
+"Less absurd than your suspicions respecting Blanche, for this letter is
+certainly from the countess; and we are by no means sure that the other
+comes from the actress." Puymirol hung his head. He was obliged to
+confess that George was right, though it cost him a struggle to admit
+it. "However, I don't see," added Caumont, "why we should devote our
+attention to this mystery. The authorities will take charge of that. You
+have only to hand the letters to the commissary of police, and state how
+you came into possession of them."
+
+"I shall not do that," said Adhémar quickly. "I don't want to inform on
+any one."
+
+"But you talk about avenging Dargental's death."
+
+"Quite so, and when I learn who the guilty party is, I will decide on my
+course. I shall begin my search after the truth to-morrow. Before doing
+so, however, I want to know the result of the inquiry now in progress."
+
+"How will you learn that result?"
+
+"We shall be summoned as witnesses; and the questions put to us will
+indicate how the magistrate views the affair. But we can not stay here
+forever. Shall we go to the club? Balmer will be there by about four
+o'clock; and there are some questions that I should like to ask him. He
+was very intimate with Dargental, so he may be able to enlighten me
+respecting certain circumstances."
+
+The two friends thereupon rose up and repaired to their club, a
+second-rate establishment in the Avenue de l'Opéra hard by. They had
+been elected members, thanks to Dargental. On arriving, they found that
+Balmer had not yet put in an appearance, so they sat down in a corner to
+wait for him. Their thoughts followed very different channels. Puymirol,
+while regretting Dargental, to whom he was indebted for many little
+services, hoped to profit by his death, without knowing exactly how. He
+had, however, more ambition than scruples, and though he would not have
+stooped to blackmailing, he did not hesitate about fishing in muddy
+waters. He said to himself that Madame de Lescombat, whether innocent or
+guilty of the murder, would give almost anything to regain possession of
+her letter, and that she would be disposed to assist any man who might
+restore it to her; now, why should he not be the man? These intentions
+were certainly not very laudable; but when a fellow wishes to succeed at
+any cost, he must not be over fastidious. Caumont, on his side, did not
+feel the slightest interest in the countess, and had only undertaken
+Blanche Pornic's defence from a sense of justice. He had never liked
+Dargental, though he had seen a good deal of him, having been dragged
+into his society by Puymirol. He regretted his untimely death, but felt
+no desire to avenge it; indeed, he was sorry that he had become mixed up
+in the affair of the pocket-book and the letters. In point of fact, he
+had other thoughts in his mind. He had recently met a young lady whom he
+greatly admired, and whom he wished to marry.
+
+While the two friends thus sat side by side on a sofa, smoking in
+silence, Charles Balmer suddenly appeared looking considerably excited.
+"Do you know what has happened?" he asked, in a husky voice. "I have
+just come from Dargental's."
+
+"We went there in advance of you. He is dead," said Adhémar.
+
+"He was murdered, my dear fellow. I fell into a nest of detectives,
+magistrates, and physicians, and I thought for a while that they were
+going to arrest me. They confined themselves to questioning me,
+however."
+
+"Have they discovered the culprit?" asked Adhémar.
+
+"Well, they have arrested the valet, who stoutly denies any knowledge of
+the crime. I know him, and I would stake my life upon his innocence.
+Besides, Dargental's pocket-book was stolen, and it certainly was not
+Jean who took it, for he was searched, and only thirty-seven sous were
+found upon him. They are going to keep him in jail, all the same, but I
+am convinced that his innocence will be established sooner or later on."
+
+"But how do they know that the pocket-book was stolen?"
+
+"Dargental always carried it in his breast-pocket. Jean himself told the
+commissary so, and the pocket was empty. Poor Pierre! when I think how
+we blamed him for keeping us waiting! He was just starting off to lunch
+with us when he was killed--by whom, no one can tell." With these words
+Balmer left the two friends to approach the card tables and inform the
+other members present of the violent death which had befallen one of the
+boldest players of the club.
+
+"Well," said George to Puymirol, "after what you have just heard, do you
+still persist in your determination to usurp the functions of the
+police?"
+
+"I not only persist in my determination, but I shall begin work this
+very evening," replied Adhémar, taking up his hat. "You can return home
+if you like; I mean to call on the countess."
+
+
+
+
+II.
+
+
+Every April the horse-show, held annually at the Palais de l'Industrie
+in the Champs Elysées, is one of the favourite resorts of Parisian
+society; and on the day when the chargers parade, ridden by lieutenants
+and sub-lieutenants, quite prepared to break their necks in order to
+attract the attention of the ladies, a large crowd is invariably
+present. The attractive gathering took place that year a fortnight after
+Dargental's tragical demise. Both George Caumont and Adhémar de Puymirol
+were there, having met each other by appointment at the door. Since
+their friend's death they had not seen nearly so much of each other as
+usual. They still lived in the same house, and upon the same floor, but
+in the morning, instead of going out together as formerly, each of them
+went his own way, for George had refused to help Adhémar in discovering
+the murderer, and spent his time in a manner more congenial to his
+tastes. The fact that Dargental had not committed suicide was now
+established, but, otherwise, no progress had been made with the
+investigation. The valet was still in prison, but stoutly protested his
+innocence, and there was really no evidence against him. Puymirol, who
+might have furnished a clue as to the truth, remained obstinately
+silent. Upon being questioned by the magistrate, on the day following
+the crime, he had contented himself with relating the incidents of the
+lunch. George Caumont had been equally reticent, and so had Balmer and
+Blanche Pornic, who were also questioned; and as the valet persisted in
+his denials, it would be necessary to set him at liberty sooner or
+later.
+
+Puymirol's attempts to obtain an interview with the countess had proved
+utterly fruitless. Madame de Lescombat received no one, and this was
+only natural, after the tragical event which had bereft her of her
+betrothed. A letter which Puymirol had written to her, requesting a
+private interview, had remained unanswered, and our amateur detective,
+greatly vexed, was, therefore, reduced to waiting for an opportunity
+which might never present itself. On trying to console himself by
+card-playing, he met with a terrible run of ill luck; and finding
+himself most embarrassed, it is no wonder if he felt dreadfully out of
+sorts as he strolled that day on Caumont's arm through the crowd inside
+the Palais de l'Industrie. George, on his side, seemed to be eyeing the
+occupants of the benches as if in search of some acquaintance. Indeed,
+he suddenly let go of his friend's arm, and Puymirol exclaimed: "Ah!
+there's your sweetheart--Well, go and see her. We will meet here during
+the intermission that follows the hurdle race."
+
+"I can not promise to be punctual," replied Caumont, evidently anxious
+to start off.
+
+In another moment he could be seen cautiously making his way towards a
+remarkably charming girl, who sat with her friends in one of the
+tribunes: but he seemed to be in no hurry to reach her, for he often
+paused as he approached the staircase, which he would have to ascend. He
+was not far from it when the young lady recognised him and smiled. He
+thereupon eagerly bowed, blushing a little as he did so, and then,
+quickening his pace, he began to elbow his way through the crowd--no
+easy task. Just then, however, he found himself, to his surprise, face
+to face with Blanche Pornic. The meeting was very disagreeable to
+George, who knew that the eyes of the girl he admired were upon him, so
+he endeavoured to turn a little aside and thus avoid Blanche, but she
+resolutely barred his way. "I see that you are not particularly glad to
+meet me," she remarked, laughing, "but I shall inflict my society upon
+you to punish you for failing to call on me as you promised."
+
+"I did very wrong, I admit," replied George, "and I will atone for my
+fault to-morrow; but you will excuse me for leaving you now, as I must
+join a friend who is waiting for me."
+
+"He will have to wait then, for you can't go any further as another
+trial is about to take place. Don't you hear the bell?" Blanche spoke
+the truth. The promenaders, warned by the signal, had paused, and any
+further progress was impossible. "I have you," she continued, "and I
+sha'n't let you go, for I want to have a long talk with you about
+Dargental's death."
+
+George resolved to make the best of the situation, so he replied: "Well,
+as you insist upon broaching that sad subject, it is said that Dargental
+did not commit suicide as was at first supposed."
+
+"No doubt," replied Blanche. "Suicide was far from his thoughts. He was
+murdered, my dear fellow, and I believe I know the culprit."
+
+George had not expected to hear the person whom Puymirol suspected of
+the crime make such a statement as this. "You know the culprit and yet
+you have not denounced him," said he.
+
+"Oh! I make it a principle never to meddle with matters that don't
+concern me."
+
+"But this does concern you. You knew Dargental so well."
+
+"No doubt; and he has died for having deserted me."
+
+"I don't understand you."
+
+"Oh! that doesn't matter. Had I cared to tell what I know, I should have
+done so to the magistrate who questioned me; and I deserve some credit
+for holding my tongue, for he insinuated that suspicion might fall upon
+me. But I have nothing to fear, and I am going to stand my ground. Have
+you seen the Countess de Lescombat?" added Blanche, abruptly, "I suppose
+you know she is here."
+
+"Here, a fortnight after Dargental's death? It's impossible!"
+
+"She is enthroned up there in the stewards' stand, and Dargental's death
+has not affected her in the least."
+
+"It is certainly scandalous," replied George.
+
+"Oh! she imagines that by showing herself here, she will make people
+believe that Dargental was indifferent to her."
+
+"But all Paris knew of the connection, and she was about to legalise it
+by marriage."
+
+"We knew it, but the banns had not been published, and Madame de
+Lescombat will now declare that Pierre was a friend, and nothing more.
+And people will end by believing that such was really the case, unless
+some of her letters should be found among the poor fellow's papers. But
+she is too shrewd to write. It is all very well for me who have nothing
+to lose to be prodigal with my signature. If Dargental has not burned my
+letters, an interesting collection will be found."
+
+"Dargental probably destroyed them; still, it isn't likely that they
+contained anything that would compromise you," said George, scrutinizing
+Blanche's countenance.
+
+"Well," replied Blanche, quite composed, "I never concealed my fondness
+for Pierre, and I did for him what I would never have done for any other
+living being. But when I learned to know him well, I deeply regretted
+writing him a certain note, which might cause me a deal of trouble,
+should it fall into the hands of the authorities. Dargental was quite
+capable of keeping this note. I begged of him to return it to me before
+his marriage, and if I accepted his invitation at the Lion d'Or, it was
+because I hoped he would return it to me at dessert."
+
+"But in what way could this note compromise you?" inquired George,
+trying to smile. "I presume that it didn't contain a confession of any
+crime on your part."
+
+"You know nothing about women," replied Blanche. "The very best of them
+are fools when their affections are involved, and I was madly in love
+with Dargental. To save him from any danger, I would have stolen or
+committed murder, but I did not go to such lengths as that; still I did
+him a service that might have cost me dear. I tell you this, because I
+know I can trust you; but, pray, say nothing to your friend Puymirol
+about the matter, for I have no confidence in him. He sides with the
+countess, and I am almost certain that he just left you to go and pay
+his respects to her. But what do you think of the show this year?"
+
+"It is about the same as usual, I fancy."
+
+"You wonder why I came, probably. Well, I came here to see the officers.
+Like all the rest of my sex, I am fond of uniforms. There is one officer
+here whom I have taken a special fancy to. Shall I point him out to
+you?"
+
+"Certainly," replied George, although he was not at all interested in
+the matter.
+
+"Step here a moment, then," said Blanche. A hurdle trial was now taking
+place, and as the different competitors passed by, she indulged in
+lively criticism. "There he is, at last," she continued, pointing to a
+young sub-lieutenant and then clapping her hands like a child, she
+added: "Isn't he handsome?"
+
+George looked at the rider, who had excited her admiration, and beheld a
+tall, well-built young man, with a handsome and genial face, mounted
+upon a half-bred horse, which he managed with wonderful skill and ease.
+"Do you know who he is?" Caumont asked of Blanche.
+
+"No; but I should very much like to know. If he does not receive the
+first prize, the judges will be guilty of the grossest injustice. Did
+you notice him bow to these ladies over there, that young girl in a lace
+bonnet, with an older lady, who must have been very handsome, and who
+still has some good looks left her?" George glanced in the direction
+indicated, and, on recognising the ladies, blushed so deeply that
+Blanche resumed: "So they are friends of yours? You need not blush like
+a schoolboy, for they are both charming, the girl especially, and I am
+delighted that you know them; for now you can introduce the lieutenant
+to me."
+
+"You had better not count upon that," retorted George, drily.
+
+"Oh! you need not take offence, I meant no harm. You seem to be deeply
+interested in one of the two ladies; and I should never forgive myself
+if I prevented you from following the dictates of your heart any longer.
+So go, and good luck to you!"
+
+George now thought of reaching the tribune to join the ladies who
+interested him far more than Blanche Pornic's revelations. The trial was
+over, the judges had retired for deliberation, and Caumont was about to
+climb the stairs when he perceived the people he wished to join coming
+down towards him. The daughter was in front, and she smiled as he stood,
+with uncovered head, eagerly awaiting her approach. He had been
+introduced to herself and her mother by an old schoolmate of his, now a
+civil engineer, who had informed him that Madame Verdon was the widow of
+an iron manufacturer who had left a fortune of twelve hundred thousand
+francs, which would revert, partly to his son and partly to his
+daughter, Gabrielle, the young girl who was now descending the stairs.
+George had often met her and her mother in the Luxembourg gardens and
+had visited them at their residence on the Boulevard St. Michel, very
+near his own abode. He had gradually fallen in love with Mademoiselle
+Verdon, but being well aware of the objections that might be made to him
+as a suitor for the hand of a young lady blessed with an income of
+twenty thousand francs, he had carefully abstained from playing the part
+of a lover. Still, he had eyes, and he saw very plainly that the
+daughter liked him, and that the mother did not seem to discourage his
+pretensions. He even fancied that Madame Verdon had been unusually
+cordial of late, and he wondered if the time had not come for him to
+make some advances. He wished, however, first to have an explanation
+with the young girl, and then if he met with any encouragement from her,
+to ask her hand of her mother. But a favourable opportunity had not yet
+presented itself. Indeed, Dargental's death, and the judicial
+proceedings following upon that tragical event, had, for some days,
+engrossed George's attention to such an extent that he had scarcely seen
+the Verdons. "Good-morning," exclaimed the mother, as she now
+approached. "We haven't seen you for a long time past. What have you
+been doing with yourself? Gabrielle has lost all fondness for the
+Luxembourg garden since you have ceased visiting it."
+
+"Yes, monsieur," chimed in the young girl, "it is very unkind of you to
+desert us, and your conduct is inexcusable, for it cannot be your law
+studies that engross you, as you spend your time here."
+
+"It is the first time I have been here this year, mademoiselle."
+
+"Oh! I am not scolding you. It is much more amusing here than in our
+quiet neighbourhood, especially for you who are probably acquainted with
+all these people. I, myself, have eyes only for my brother."
+
+"Your brother, mademoiselle?"
+
+"Yes," replied Madame Verdon, "my son, Albert, has just taken part in
+one of the trials, and as I am confident that he will receive the first
+prize, I came here expressly to enjoy his triumph. You must allow me to
+introduce him to you when the awards have been made. He has a three
+months' leave, which he will spend with us."
+
+"I thought your son was still at Saint Cyr," stammered George.
+
+"He has been promoted to sub-lieutenancy in the Seventh Cuirassiers.
+This promotion makes me feel very old, I assure you; and I must confess
+that I am rather averse to admitting that I have a son who is twenty-six
+years of age."
+
+"You will see how handsome my big brother is," interrupted Gabrielle.
+"All the ladies applauded him enthusiastically when he jumped the last
+hurdle. The one who was talking with you must have split her gloves in
+her fervour."
+
+George said nothing, but he blushed to his very ears. He had flattered
+himself that Gabrielle Verdon had not noticed his long conversation
+with Blanche Pornic, but he could no longer delude himself on the point.
+"Doesn't your father ever come to Paris, now?" inquired Madame Verdon.
+"He must be very fond of horses?"
+
+"My father is getting too old to travel about much," replied George,
+somewhat astonished by this remark.
+
+"I understand. When a person has charge of a large estate, it is
+difficult for him to absent himself. An estate is like an iron foundry:
+it needs constant attention. I know something about that, for I spent
+ten years in the valley of the Vosges. My husband only took me to Paris
+once a year. You scarcely remember that time, child. Monsieur Jacques
+has not forgotten it, however." These concluding words were evidently
+addressed to a gentleman whom George had not before noticed, but whom
+Madame Verdon now disclosed to view by stepping a little aside. This
+person was tall, broad shouldered, and stoutly built. His rather coarse
+features gave him a stern air, and he was wanting in elegance of manner,
+although he was very neatly dressed. "Let me introduce Monsieur Jacques
+Rochas, my husband's former partner, and his successor," resumed Madame
+Verdon. "He has just sold the iron works he purchased from us, and has
+come to reside in Paris. You will meet him frequently at our house."
+
+George bowed coldly, and the stranger returned the salute in a somewhat
+bearish fashion. Both gentlemen seemed ill at ease, and Madame Verdon
+herself appeared rather uncomfortable. "Here are the victors now," cried
+Gabrielle. "Albert leads the procession. Let us get a little nearer to
+see the party form. Use your elbows, Monsieur George, and make room for
+us through the crowd." And without troubling herself as to whether her
+mother was following her or not, she turned to the left, followed by
+George, who asked no better than to have a private interview with the
+young girl.
+
+"Madame Verdon will think I am running away with you," he said,
+jestingly.
+
+"We shall be able to find her again presently, without any trouble,"
+replied Gabrielle. "She doesn't worry herself much about me just now.
+Here is a good place for a quiet talk, and I wish to speak to you upon a
+serious subject."
+
+"I am entirely at your service, mademoiselle," replied George, who was
+greatly astonished.
+
+The musicians now struck up a triumphal march, and, amid the din,
+Gabrielle resumed: "I warn you that I am going to ask you a very strange
+and improper question. You have been paying me considerable attention of
+late. Do you love me?"
+
+This question was indeed unexpected--the more so as well-bred young
+ladies habitually wait for it to be put to them. Mademoiselle Verdon was
+certainly reversing the usual order of things; but George promptly
+answered: "Love you, mademoiselle! yes, with my whole heart. I have not
+yet dared to tell you so, but--"
+
+"No protestations. I believe you, and I am going to enable you to prove
+the truth of your words. Do you wish to marry me?"
+
+"Such is my most ardent desire. If I could hope that your mother would
+grant me your hand--"
+
+"She will, if you ask her for it now; that is to say, within a few days.
+Later on, she will, perhaps, refuse you." George could not understand
+the meaning of all this, as his bewildered mien showed plainly enough.
+"The situation is simply this," continued Gabrielle: "My mother wishes
+to marry again. This news may surprise you, but it is true,
+nevertheless. She wishes to marry again, to enter society. Her children
+are in her way, and she does not at all care to keep them with her. My
+brother does not so much preoccupy her. An officer goes about from
+garrison to garrison when he is not in the field, so she will seldom see
+Albert; but as I cannot leave her as long as I remain single, she is in
+a hurry to get me married off. She is looking for a husband for me, and
+if you do not speak out she will content herself with the first comer."
+
+"Oh! she will easily secure a much more eligible suitor than myself, for
+I have neither money nor prospects."
+
+"I have money enough for two, and your future depends upon your
+intelligence and industry. My mother knows this perfectly well; she also
+knows that I like you. Moreover, she has made inquiries respecting you.
+She has received information that your family is highly respectable, and
+that your father will leave you his estate and some capital. She is in a
+hurry to settle the matter, for you see it would not do for both the
+mother and the daughter to marry within a few days of each other. She
+dreads ridicule, and she is quite right, for all our acquaintances would
+laugh at her. But if I now became your wife, she would trouble herself
+no further about me. She would leave Paris, and, after travelling
+awhile, she would be married in Switzerland or Italy. She told me
+yesterday that she wished to leave next month, and that she did not want
+to take me with her. The only refuge left for me would be a convent, for
+I cannot follow Albert's regiment about, and he is my only relative."
+George was so overwhelmed by these disclosures, that he did not know
+what to reply, and Gabrielle concluded that he did not care for her. "I
+see that you are shocked to hear me talk in this way," she said, sadly.
+"I know I do wrong in censuring my mother's conduct in your presence,
+and throwing myself in your arms, as it were. But I never could disguise
+my feelings, and I always speak straight to the point. I thought you
+loved me well enough to do me justice. If I am mistaken I must bear the
+penalty of my imprudence; but you at least cannot accuse me of
+dissimulation."
+
+"On the contrary, I sincerely thank you, mademoiselle, for divining the
+feelings which I dared not express, and I entreat you not to take my
+silence as a sign of coldness or hesitation. My delight overcame me. I
+was so little prepared for the happiness you have announced to me."
+
+"It is not my fault if I did not explain the situation sooner. I have
+not seen you for several days. But, now, will you authorise me to inform
+my mother that you intend to ask for my hand in marriage--at an early
+date?"
+
+"To-morrow, if I have your consent, mademoiselle."
+
+"Thank you," replied the girl, earnestly. "I can never do enough to
+prove to you my love and gratitude. My brother will be as pleased as I
+am when I introduce you to him by-and-by. They are very slow in forming
+the procession, it seems to me," continued Gabrielle. "They have no
+right to keep a sister waiting so long for her brother's triumphal
+entry."
+
+"Nor a mother who is longing to applaud her son," added George, in a
+somewhat questioning tone.
+
+"Mamma? Oh, yes, she is fond of Albert, but she will wait quite
+contentedly, as her intended husband is with her."
+
+"Her intended husband?"
+
+"Ah! I forgot to tell you that she expects to marry the person she just
+introduced to you, Monsieur Jacques Rochas."
+
+"Your father's former partner?"
+
+"That is the title my mother gives him. The truth is, he was formerly a
+foreman at the iron works. He subsequently became superintendent, and,
+after my father's death, he leased the works. He made a good deal of
+money, and finally purchased the place from us. It seems that he has
+just disposed of it very advantageously, and is now much richer than we
+are."
+
+"But it cannot be for the sake of his money that your mother wishes to
+marry him?"
+
+"No, though my father only left her one fourth of his property. She
+likes Monsieur Rochas, but, for myself, I cannot imagine what attraction
+she can possibly find in a man who has a very limited education, and
+whom she formerly regarded as an inferior. He looks very like a farrier,
+and he is stern and gloomy, as well as taciturn."
+
+"I noticed that he did not greet me very cordially just now. I am
+inclined to think that he will not approve of our marriage."
+
+"You are very much mistaken there. He suspects that I don't like him,
+and he is anxious to separate me from my mother. It matters very little
+to him whom I marry, providing I cease to live with her. He wishes to be
+absolute master in his own house, and probably thinks that I might rebel
+against his authority."
+
+"But what does your brother say to Madame Verdon's plans?"
+
+"Oh! I am sure that he will be furious when she announces her intended
+marriage to him. He will certainly try to dissuade her, but he won't
+succeed, for she has engaged herself to this man, and she is really
+afraid of him. But there is my brother Albert passing now." And so
+saying, Gabrielle raised herself on tiptoe, and with her gloved hand
+began to shower kisses upon the young officer, who seemed blind to this
+exhibition of sisterly affection. In fact, he appeared to be gazing with
+extraordinary persistence at somebody whom George could not see. Just
+then, too, the young lieutenant dexterously caught a little bunch of
+violets that was sent flying at him through the air; he smiled at the
+sender of this fragrant missile, and then, giving his horse the rein,
+galloped off without even seeming to suspect that his mother and sister
+were present. "Didn't I tell you that he was turning all the women's
+heads?" whispered Gabrielle to George. "He is so handsome! But I should
+like to get a look at his latest victim."
+
+This wish was promptly gratified, for, just then, the crowd divided to
+allow Blanche Pornic to pass. She had a triumphant air, and the smile
+with which she had just favoured the young lieutenant was still upon her
+lips. "Why, it is the same person whom you were talking with when we
+came down the steps," remarked Gabrielle. "I am afraid she has bewitched
+my brother. Did you notice that he kept the bouquet of violets she flung
+at him? But here is my mother coming with Monsieur Rochas. If she were
+alone, I should beg of you to remain with us; but this gentleman's
+presence would not prove congenial to you, so take leave of my mother,
+and meet us in the Luxembourg garden to-morrow. We shall be there at
+four o'clock."
+
+George took his leave as Gabrielle suggested and was about to turn away,
+when a hand was placed on his shoulder, and on looking round, he found
+himself face to face with Charles Balmer. "I have found you at last!"
+exclaimed the latter. "I have some news for you about Dargental's case.
+Poor Pierre's valet has spoken at last."
+
+"How do you know?" inquired George.
+
+"Why, I am intimate with the magistrate to whom the investigation of the
+case is entrusted, and he tells me that Jean now remembers, that at
+about nine o'clock on the morning of the murder, a rather
+suspicious-looking man rang at the door. Jean answered the bell, and
+this man, who seemed greatly annoyed on seeing him, asked for some
+person whom Jean had never heard of. He then said that he must have made
+a mistake in the number of the house, and went off without insisting any
+further. Ten minutes later, Dargental, having completed his toilet, sent
+Jean to Madame de Lescombat's with a letter, and Jean, as he left the
+house, saw the same man standing in a doorway on the opposite side of
+the street. He thought very little about it at the time, but started off
+on his errand. The countess resides at some distance from Dargental's
+house; besides, our friend had given Jean several other commissions,
+which explains why he failed to return until you and Puymirol reached
+the scene of the catastrophe. The fact is, that strange man must have
+seen Jean leave the house, and then, realising that our unfortunate
+friend was alone, he went upstairs again, whereupon Dargental himself
+must have opened the door."
+
+"No doubt; but to what motive does the magistrate ascribe the crime?"
+
+"To robbery, as Dargental's pocket-book is missing."
+
+"But are you sure that this pocket-book contained any money?"
+
+"One cannot be sure, of course, but it seems more than probable.
+Dargental was in the habit of carrying all the money he possessed about
+him, and Jean declares that his master, on going to bed at night, always
+placed his pocket-book under the bolster. Besides, all the drawers have
+been carefully examined, and not a penny has been found in the place."
+
+"And no article of furniture was forced open by the murderer?"
+
+"None, whatever. He evidently knew exactly where to look for what he
+wanted. Besides, he was probably anxious to get away as soon as
+possible, as some one might have come in at any moment. It seems that
+the only clue the authorities possess consists of a memorandum in
+Dargental's handwriting which was found in the ante-room. The murderer
+must have dropped it on opening the pocket-book, for the imprint of his
+bloody fingers is visible on one corner of it."
+
+"And what is this memorandum?"
+
+"Robergeot would not tell me--Robergeot is the magistrate. He has great
+confidence in me, as he has known me from my infancy; but he has a very
+keen sense of professional duty, so that all I have been able to learn
+is that the note in question may prove of great use in discovering the
+criminal. I certainly hope the brigand will be apprehended, for if the
+murder of my friend Dargental should go unpunished, I believe I shall
+really die a year before my time, and that would upset all my
+calculations, for I still have money enough left to last me thirty
+months longer."
+
+"Ah, yes, I forgot that you were a chronic consumptive," said George
+ironically. "Poor fellow! However, if this is all you have to tell me--"
+
+"Yes, for the time being; but I shall see Robergeot again, and I will
+keep you well informed, though you don't seem to take much interest in
+the affair. You are not like Puymirol. He knows that I am acquainted
+with the magistrate, and he asks me every day how the investigation is
+progressing. But speaking of Puymirol, are you aware that he lost five
+hundred louis more at cards last night?"
+
+"No, I just left him, but he said nothing to me about it," murmured
+George, surprised and still more annoyed at this news. "Perhaps he has
+not gone off yet. I am going to wait for him at the door."
+
+"That means, you have had enough of my company, so I will leave you."
+
+George was now anxious to see Puymirol, for he felt that his friend had
+no right to keep a pocket-book and letters which might put the
+authorities on the right scent, for he did not believe that the robbery
+of any money had had anything to do with the crime. Moreover, he wished
+to ask Adhémar how he was situated financially, and ascertain if this
+last loss of ten thousand francs would not prove an irreparable
+misfortune as he greatly feared. He therefore hurried to the grand
+entrance where there was a dense crowd, at sight of which he almost
+despaired of finding Puymirol. However, luck favoured him, but, first,
+he saw Blanche Pornic pass out, accompanied by a young officer who was
+none other than Albert Verdon. She did not stop to speak to George, but
+she gave him a mocking smile as she passed by. She had succeeded in her
+purpose; the young lieutenant to whom she had taken such a fancy, had
+evidently been impressed by her charms. George had not time to think
+over the matter, for just then, Puymirol, coming upon him unexpectedly,
+caught hold of his arm, and dragged him off, exclaiming: "I want you to
+do me a favour."
+
+"Nothing would give me greater pleasure, but I have not got the amount
+you lost at the club last night," replied George.
+
+"That isn't the question. I have at last succeeded in securing a few
+moments' conversation with the countess, and I am now going to see her
+at her house, where we shall probably have a decisive interview. Her
+letter is a weapon which I have resolved to use, but I don't want to
+have it about me during my first visit, so do me the favour to keep the
+pocket-book for me until to-morrow."
+
+"Dargental's pocket-book! Not if I know it!"
+
+"So you are afraid of compromising yourself. Very well, merely take the
+letters, then." And Puymirol, as he spoke, drew all three of them out of
+the compartment in which they had been placed, and, after thrusting them
+into George Caumont's hand, hastened rapidly away.
+
+
+
+
+III.
+
+
+The Countess de Lescombat's residence on the Boulevard de Courcelles was
+an imposing structure which, in Italy, would certainly have been styled
+the Lescombat Palace. Standing majestically between a large court-yard
+and spacious grounds, this seigneurial mansion seemed intended to
+accommodate some exiled king. M. de Lescombat, who had erected this
+residence, had been a _blasé_ sceptic, knowing no law save his own
+caprice. After amusing himself for several years, he had crowned his
+career as an eccentric millionaire by marrying the pretended ward of a
+middle class libertine, a certain Octavia Crochard, whose story had been
+accurately related by Blanche Pornic, the actress. The result of this
+marriage was that M. de Lescombat suddenly took his departure for a
+better world after bequeathing his entire fortune to his wife, and
+whatever Blanche might say to the contrary, it was scarcely likely that
+he had committed suicide, for he had certainly had every reason to
+desire to remain alive. However, the countess, as soon as she became a
+widow, behaved with the utmost tact. She retained the services of the
+old Marchioness de Monastier, a dowager who had long assisted the count
+in doing the honours of his princely mansion, and who was now quite
+willing to act as chaperon to his widow; and a most complaisant
+chaperon she proved, winking at such secret peccadillos as Octavia
+indulged in. The countess now meant to lead a quiet, independent life,
+but a woman's plans are rarely carried out. Shortly after her husband's
+death, Dargental was introduced to her by a mutual friend, and she soon
+became so infatuated with him, that she promised to marry him at the
+expiration of the ten months' delay prescribed by law.
+
+This promise had failed to take effect, as her intended husband had been
+taken from her by a most terrible, unforeseen catastrophe. It may be
+asked, how had she borne this terrible blow? Madame de Monastier alone
+could have answered the question, for since Dargental's death Madame de
+Lescombat had not left her house, and he had been buried without her
+showing herself at the funeral. Moreover, all Puymirol's efforts to
+enter into communication with her had proved unavailing. Everything
+seemed to indicate that she meant to let a suitable interval elapse
+before she emerged from seclusion, and, indeed, when Puymirol met her at
+the horse show it was the first time that she had appeared in public
+since her lover's death. She had thought it an excellent opportunity to
+let people understand that she had no intention of immuring herself
+forever, and so she had repaired to the Palais de l'Industrie in a
+toilet suited to the occasion. She there received the friends who
+approached her with perfect serenity, and cut their expressions of
+condolence short by a few well-chosen words.
+
+Puymirol knew her but slightly. Dargental had taken him to two or three
+of her entertainments, and as he was a superb waltzer she had noticed
+him at the time; but he feared that she had now well-nigh forgotten him,
+and that she would pay no more attention to his remarks than she had
+paid to his letters. He was thus agreeably surprised when he saw her
+smile upon him in the most engaging manner while he approached the
+tribune where she was seated. He then stationed himself at the foot of
+the staircase, and, deciding to bide his time, waited for the countess's
+departure, when he might have an opportunity of saying a few words to
+her in private. Indeed, when the show was about to close for the day,
+the countess descended the steps, and leaving the two or three gentlemen
+who were in obsequious attendance upon her, came straight towards him,
+apologized for not having received him at her house, and inquired if it
+would suit him to come and see her that very afternoon. Puymirol eagerly
+accepted the invitation, although her unexpected cordiality aroused his
+distrust. However, on catching sight of George, he forthwith determined
+to place the letters in his keeping as a precaution against a
+fascination he feared. He reached the countess's house but a quarter of
+an hour after her own return, and a footman at once escorted him through
+a suite of magnificent apartments to the boudoir where the lovely widow
+usually received her intimate friends. He found her armed for conquest.
+She was certainly a superb creature. Tall, with faultless shoulders, she
+had a head like that of a Grecian statue, and her white brow was
+crowned with heavy coils of ruddy hair, of the tint which the Venetian
+masters were so fond of. Puymirol seated himself in a low chair near
+her, and was wondering how he should open the conversation when, without
+any preamble, she exclaimed: "Let us talk of poor Pierre, shall we not?"
+
+"Pierre Dargental?" said Puymirol. "Yes, that was what brought me here."
+
+This was only partially true, however, for he admired the countess
+exceedingly, and, besides, now that he was in her presence, he
+experienced the wonderful charm that she exercised over all the men who
+approached her. She, no doubt, realised it, for, fixing her large green
+eyes, full of a strange fire, upon him, she softly said: "I thought you
+had called partially on my account."
+
+"And you are right," exclaimed Puymirol, impulsively.
+
+"Then I forgive you for your almost rude remark. We are already old
+friends, you and I, for it was more than a year ago that poor Pierre
+introduced you to me. Do you recollect the ball at which you led the
+cotillon?"
+
+"I remember it as if it were but yesterday."
+
+"And so do I, for I have never met your equal as a waltzer since. But
+you have made no effort to see me since last winter."
+
+"I feared annoying Dargental."
+
+"Yes, he was terribly jealous, but, poor fellow, I forgive him. His
+terrible death has been a sad blow for me. I see by your face that you
+don't believe that--no doubt, because you saw me at the show just now in
+a spring toilet. However, a woman is not obliged to put on a black dress
+to be deeply afflicted. My heart is in mourning, but I don't deem it
+necessary to publish my grief."
+
+"Oh, I don't presume to criticise you, madame. On the contrary, I bless
+the chance that brought about a meeting between us, for you have
+repeatedly refused me an interview."
+
+"I treated everyone alike. I even thought strongly of leaving Paris for
+a few months, but I finally came to the conclusion that absence would
+not cure my grief, and I summoned up courage to shake off the
+prostration to which my loss had reduced me."
+
+"I trusted that you would at least reply to the letter in which I begged
+of you to grant me an interview."
+
+"You must not be offended with me on account of my failure to do so. I
+never write to any one. It is against my principles."
+
+"But you must break this rule sometimes," said Adhémar, gazing
+searchingly at the countess.
+
+"Not often," was the calm response. "My autograph letters ought to fetch
+a good price, for there are certainly very few of them."
+
+"It would, doubtless, surprise you very much if I told you that I have
+one in my possession."
+
+"Indeed! I should really like to see it."
+
+"Well, I regret that I haven't got it with me. I should add, however,
+that it is a very unimportant document; the telegraphic note you sent to
+Pierre at the Lion d'Or."
+
+"Yes! I recollect that. But I cannot imagine how you came by it."
+
+"Poor Dargental was dead when it was delivered. We were ignorant of the
+fact, and were breakfasting without him, at the time, and Charles
+Balmer, who was one of the guests, took the liberty to open the message
+and show it to us."
+
+"That doesn't surprise me. Monsieur Balmer is always doing something
+stupid. But I am surprised you kept it."
+
+"I meant to hand it to Dargental as soon as the lunch was over. But,
+alas! I arrived at his place too late."
+
+"Yes," murmured Madame de Lescombat. "I know the terrible story."
+
+"I should have returned the note to you if I had been able to see you,
+and I will return it now whenever you like, but I have read and re-read
+it many times, and I now know your writing as well as if I had received
+hundreds of letters from you."
+
+"And what do you think of the contents of this famous missive?"
+
+"I think you were most kind and indulgent as regards poor Pierre in
+letting him invite to that lunch--"
+
+"Some of his old flames. Well, I felt tolerably sure of him, but in my
+secret heart I was a trifle anxious, as you may judge from the fact that
+I begged him to come and see me as soon as the repast was over. How many
+ladies were present?"
+
+"Only one, Blanche Pornic."
+
+"Ah! he had sworn never to see her again," sighed Octavia. "It grieves
+me to think she was there. She nearly ruined poor Pierre. I succeeded in
+getting him out of her clutches, and she has never forgiven me for it.
+She, no doubt, spoke about me during the lunch?"
+
+"Yes, madame, and I won't conceal from you the fact that she isn't very
+kindly disposed towards you."
+
+"Oh, I can guess what she said about me. She told you that I was the
+daughter of a Lyons' weaver, didn't she? That is the truth, and I'm not
+ashamed of it. She also told you that I didn't love my first husband,
+and that I deceived him, I suppose. The fact is, he never did inspire me
+with any other feeling than gratitude, but he asked nothing more, and he
+never had any reason to complain of me."
+
+"Mademoiselle Blanche pretended that he poisoned himself."
+
+"I scorn to notice that calumny. It is as unworthy of notice as she is.
+Fortunately, I shall never be obliged to hear her name mentioned again."
+
+"Who knows?" said Puymirol. "She let me understand that she had some
+powerful weapons against you--letters."
+
+"Letters! Why, didn't I tell you just now that I had never written to
+anyone but Pierre in my life?"
+
+"That would be quite enough. A few lines suffice to compromise one at
+times, and if Dargental was ever foolish enough to show a note of yours
+to that girl, she may have managed to obtain possession of it."
+
+The countess turned pale, and her assurance failed her. "I will never
+believe that," she said, in a voice that trembled in spite of all her
+efforts. "Pierre treated me badly at one time, but he was incapable of
+intrusting any damaging secret to this creature; besides, she wouldn't
+have kept it. I authorize you to tell her, from me, that what she says
+is false, and that I'm not afraid of her."
+
+"Nothing would suit me better but I don't visit her, and there is very
+little probability of my meeting her anywhere."
+
+Madame de Lescombat reflected for a moment, and then said: "But what if
+I asked you to see her again? What if I begged of you to question her,
+and discover what she referred to when she threatened to produce I don't
+know what proofs against me?"
+
+"I should comply with your request, of course; but if Blanche suspected
+that I came on your behalf, she would probably be emboldened, and might
+publish your letters if she has any."
+
+"She hasn't any," was the quick response, "but you are right. It is best
+to let the matter drop, and not to trouble ourselves any further about
+this creature."
+
+Puymirol was satisfied. The countess had fallen into the trap set for
+her. The anxiety she had failed to conceal conclusively proved how much
+importance she attached to the recovery of some particular letter, and
+this letter was unquestionably one of those contained in the
+pocket-book.
+
+However, before Puymirol could decide what use he should make of the
+advantage thus gained, his companion said, thoughtfully: "It is strange,
+but I talk to you exactly as I should talk to an intimate friend. It is
+true that I am much better acquainted with you than you suppose, for
+although Pierre seldom brought you to see me he was always talking about
+you."
+
+"He was not particularly enthusiastic in his praises, I suppose?"
+interrupted Adhémar, smiling.
+
+"Nor in his censure. He was inclined to be jealous of you; but he liked
+you, and could not refrain from doing justice to your qualities. He used
+to say that you were always brave, and that you never despaired, either
+at the card-table or in your love affairs. It was the same with him; and
+it was for that very reason that I loved him, though my love for him
+certainly cost me dear. Yes, why should I hide from you the fact that I
+have lent him large amounts over and over again. Still, I never even
+regretted the inroads that his passion for gambling made in my fortune.
+I was only too happy to help him, and I think I should almost have hated
+him if he had refused my proffered aid."
+
+"You are presenting Dargental to me in a new light," said Puymirol,
+biting his lips.
+
+"Oh, I see that you have your prejudices like all the rest of your sex.
+You think it perfectly right and natural to deceive a woman and reduce
+her to despair by deserting her, and yet your pride revolts at the mere
+thought of accepting a pecuniary favour from her. Well, for myself, I
+don't dislike the idea that my lover should treat me as an equal.
+Dargental, at first, had the same ideas as you have, but I succeeded in
+winning him over to my way of thinking; and if I ever pledge myself to
+another man, I shall require him to sacrifice the foolish pride you seem
+to admire so much."
+
+"You would have great difficulty in converting me. I would rather resign
+you than submit."
+
+"You are not my lover. If you were, I flatter myself that I should
+succeed in overcoming your opposition. I should say to you, 'You lost
+ten thousand francs last night, on parole, and you are miserable because
+you don't know how you will manage to pay the money. Here it is. Take
+it, or I shall know that you do not love me.'"
+
+Adhémar started. He, himself, had lost exactly ten thousand francs on
+the evening before, and Madame de Lescombat's shot told. Was the remark
+really intended for him, or was it by a mere chance that she mentioned
+such a case, and that exact amount? He did not know, but however that
+might be, he must make some reply. "That is a test to which I should not
+like to be subjected," he exclaimed. "It would be a cruel alternative,
+you must admit."
+
+"Perhaps so; but come, Fortune has frowned upon you. You admit it, do
+you not?"
+
+"Well, I do admit it. For a fortnight past, I have done nothing but
+lose. One would think that Dargental's death had brought me bad luck."
+
+"It will bring misfortune upon others as well. Your last evening at
+baccarat was most disastrous, was it not?"
+
+"How do you know?"
+
+"Why, there was a member of your club in the tribune at the horse show,
+and on seeing you bow to me he naturally spoke of you, and of the game
+you played last evening. He told me that you were an excellent player,
+as cool when you lost as when you won. That is all very well; but one
+must be able to pay one's debts of honour."
+
+"I shall pay mine," said Adhémar drily.
+
+"I have wounded you, I see," replied the countess. "Believe me, the
+offence was unintentional. I have a bad habit of not concealing my
+feelings, and of imagining that I have a right to oblige those I like. I
+heard that you were embarrassed pecuniarily, and my first impulse was to
+help you. It was for that reason that I asked you to call here. If you
+refuse my offer you will wound me deeply, I assure you."
+
+"What would you think of me if I accepted it?"
+
+"I should think that I inspired you with sufficient liking and
+confidence to make you willing to become my debtor. I merely propose a
+loan. With Pierre, it was different. Pierre was to marry me. We had the
+same interests, and my fortune was his; but I shall accommodate you
+exactly as one friend accommodates another, and if you insist upon it,
+I am willing to accept your note for the amount."
+
+"My note would not be worth more than a verbal promise, for I have no
+security to give, and I should probably be unable to meet the note when
+it fell due. If I consented to accept your offer, I should never dare to
+set foot here again, and that would be a terrible deprivation for me."
+
+"You wish to see me again, you say, and yet you hesitate to make this
+slight sacrifice of pride? It is not in this way that I wish to be
+loved."
+
+"Then you would be willing to accept my love and devotion?" exclaimed
+Puymirol.
+
+"A coquette might give you an evasive answer. But I am made of different
+stuff, and I frankly answer 'Yes.'"
+
+Acting upon the impulse of the moment, Adhémar made a movement as if to
+throw himself at the countess's feet, but she checked him with a
+gesture, and said, smiling: "I desire no rash or premature
+protestations. Listen to me before you go any further. I have been
+sufficiently frank with you for you to believe me when I tell you what I
+think, and feel. At my age a woman can hardly resign herself to
+perpetual widowhood, and for that reason I was on the point of marrying
+Pierre, though I might have done much better, for I had serious reason
+to complain of him. But you are not going to ask me to marry you, or
+even to engage myself to you forthwith, I suppose?"
+
+"No, for you would refuse."
+
+"No doubt; and, besides, the man who cares to win me must be my friend
+and my ally against my enemies."
+
+"Is it possible that you have any enemies?"
+
+"Have you forgotten Blanche Pornic? She might injure me greatly; and I
+cannot contend unaided against a woman who has nothing to lose."
+
+Puymirol now began to understand the countess's advances, and his
+self-possession returned to him, in a measure. It was evident that she
+wished to bind him to her at any cost.
+
+"You may be right," he said, after a moment's silence. "Blanche is
+capable of anything; besides, she has good reason to feel anxious, for
+the authorities believe that Dargental died by violence, and she has
+been closely questioned, and may be examined again."
+
+"Can she be accused of murdering him?"
+
+"Not exactly, as she is still at large. But the police are looking for
+the murderer; and rumour attributes the crime to one of our friend's
+former sweethearts, who hired some one to kill him, so as to regain
+possession of certain letters."
+
+"What did I tell you a moment ago? This creature undoubtedly wrote him
+something that revealed her in her true character. I am sure of it; for
+Pierre told me one day that he had something in his possession which
+would suffice to send her to the Assizes. I am perfectly willing to
+repeat that to the magistrate."
+
+"That would be very imprudent; for Mademoiselle Pornic, in self-defence,
+might declare that you also had written to Pierre, and that you were
+even more interested than she was in regaining possession of your
+correspondence. At the beginning of our conversation, you yourself
+admitted that there were some danger in this."
+
+"And I asked you to try and frighten Mademoiselle Pornic out of the
+notion of slandering me. You politely refused. I shall, perhaps, be
+obliged to apply to a bolder person. Where does this woman live?"
+
+"At No. 34, Avenue de Messine. But it would be useless for you to apply
+to her. Not a single letter was found at Dargental's. Besides, his
+pocket-book had been stolen from him."
+
+"A Russia-leather pocket-book, with his initial and a marquis's coronet
+upon it!" exclaimed the countess, greatly agitated. "I gave it to him."
+
+"Well, the question is to ascertain into whose hands it has fallen,"
+remarked Puymirol. "If it has come into Blanche Pornic's possession, she
+will have destroyed her own letters, and have preserved yours."
+
+"I can compel her to return them to me."
+
+"I doubt it. If I thought it possible, I should not hesitate to make the
+attempt."
+
+"My hand and fortune shall be the reward of the man who will restore my
+letters to me," said the countess, boldly.
+
+It was impossible to declare more plainly that she was at the mercy of
+the person who had possession of her missives to Dargental, and
+Puymirol, still under the charm of her wonderful beauty, felt anxious to
+win the promised reward. "I will do all in my power to serve you," he
+said, rising, after he had pressed a kiss upon her soft white hand.
+
+"Then begin by taking the five hundred louis you need to pay your
+gambling debts," was the quick reply.
+
+"Anything but that," rejoined Puymirol, firmly. "Will you permit me to
+call again to-morrow?"
+
+"At any hour you like. I shall always be at home to you."
+
+Puymirol certainly deserved some credit for refusing Madame de
+Lescombat's offers of pecuniary assistance, for never since the outset
+of his struggles in Parisian waters had he found himself in an equally
+trying position. A fortnight's continuous ill luck had reduced him to
+penury. It is true that he still had twenty-four hours' respite left
+him, but if he had had a month at his disposal, he would have been no
+better off, for he had nothing to expect from any one. George Caumont
+could render him no assistance, and his Aunt Bessèges would not send him
+a penny, even had he merely asked her to advance him a portion of his
+next quarter's allowance.
+
+There is nothing really better than violent exercise for dispelling
+gloomy thoughts, and, being fully aware of this fact, Puymirol, after
+taking leave of the countess, repaired to his club, and entered the
+fencing-room, in the hope of finding some pleasant company, and of
+gaining an appetite by a bout with some foemen worthy of his steel. He
+fenced in turn with three of the best swordsmen present, even worsted
+the professor, and then having attained a tranquil state of mind, he
+began to consider where he should dine, and in what way he should spend
+his evening.
+
+The club dinner not being quite ready, he decided to patronise the Lion
+d'Or, where he had not set foot since the catastrophe. He strolled there
+and went in without noticing a gentleman who was talking with the
+doorkeeper, and who entered immediately behind him. However, the first
+person he saw inside was Blanche Pornic, seated at table with a young
+and handsome officer. The meeting displeased him, but it was too late to
+beat a retreat. Blanche would think he was purposely avoiding her, and
+he did not wish to arouse her suspicions. She gave him a friendly smile
+as he passed by--a smile which made her companion turn to look at the
+new comer who was greeted so familiarly. Puymirol responded by touching
+his hat politely, and then walked on to the other end of the room, for
+he felt that the right moment for an interview with Blanche had not yet
+arrived, and he did not care to be in her immediate neighbourhood.
+Having ensconced himself in a corner, he ordered a first-rate dinner,
+and under the influence of some generous wine his ideas soon assumed a
+roseate hue. It was only when he had finished his dessert and had just
+poured himself out a little old brandy, that he noticed that a person
+dining in front of him--the gentleman who had followed him into the
+restaurant--was staring at him with strange persistency. Puymirol
+returned the stare with interest, and perceived that this stranger was a
+man considerably older than himself, carefully dressed, but with
+somewhat the look of a provincial. He did not once lower his eyes, but
+kept them persistently riveted on Puymirol, and the latter, who was by
+no means patient, soon called a waiter and ordered him in a loud voice
+to go and ask that gentleman why he was staring at him in such an
+extraordinary manner. The frightened servant did not seem at all anxious
+to deliver this disagreeable message, but the offender had heard the
+order, and laying his napkin on the table, he quietly rose, and came
+straight towards Puymirol, who prepared himself for an attack. However,
+the stranger, probably in order to convince Adhémar that he had no
+hostile intentions, began by bowing very politely, and then said, in a
+conciliatory tone: "Excuse me, sir, for having looked at you in an
+offensive manner. But I was trying to find some excuse for speaking to
+you, and now that you have furnished it, I will ask the favour of a
+moment's conversation."
+
+"What have you to say to me?" retorted Puymirol, without abandoning his
+threatening attitude.
+
+"Permit me first to take a seat at your table. If I continue to talk to
+you standing, I shall attract the attention of all the people present.
+They are already beginning to watch us, and they will think I am trying
+to pick a quarrel with you, whereas my intentions are really of the most
+peaceable kind. Besides, what I have to say to you is strictly
+confidential."
+
+"Very well, take a seat and explain yourself, but be brief. First of
+all, who are you?"
+
+"My name would have no significance to you," said the stranger, sitting
+down. "I don't know yours, nor do I wish to know it."
+
+"But how can you have any business with me if you don't know my name?
+You are fooling me, and I am going--"
+
+"Pray, grant me a hearing. I was at the door of the restaurant when you
+came in, and I asked the door-porter if you had not come here one day,
+under circumstances which he was bound to remember. He replied in the
+affirmative, so I followed you in, wondering how I should manage to
+enter into conversation with you. Pray, believe that I should not have
+watched for your coming here during a whole fortnight, if mere idle
+curiosity had prompted my desire to make your acquaintance."
+
+"You dare to admit that you have been playing the spy on me for a
+fortnight?"
+
+"I was not playing the spy, I merely told the doorkeeper that I would
+give him two louis if he would point out to me a gentleman who came here
+one morning in a cab to lunch with a party in a private room. He was
+anxious to secure the promised reward, of course, but you did not make
+your appearance until to-night."
+
+"Well, confine yourself to facts. What do you want with me?"
+
+"Before explaining myself more fully, I wish to satisfy myself that I am
+not making a mistake. So allow me, sir, to ask you one question, only
+one. Did you not, on Wednesday, the 9th of April, pass through the Place
+du Carrousel in a cab which turned into the Rue de Rivoli?"
+
+"I have passed through the Place du Carrousel hundreds of times in my
+life," said Adhémar, "but I am not at all sure that I passed through it
+on the day you mention. I have no reason to recollect such an
+insignificant occurrence."
+
+"You came here to lunch with some friends. You were not alone in the
+cab--"
+
+"Well, say there were two of us, but what difference can that make to
+you and why have you taken so much trouble to look me up?"
+
+"It did, indeed, cost me a deal of trouble. My only clue was the number
+of the cab, so I first tried to find the driver and ultimately
+succeeded. He remembered you very well on account of the liberal
+gratuity you gave him on dismissing him, and he told me he had set you
+and your friend down outside the Lion d'Or. I then spoke to the
+door-porter of the restaurant, who said that he knew you by sight, but
+that he was unable to give me your name or address; and the head waiter
+either could not or would not tell me anything. I again applied to the
+door-porter, giving him two louis, and promising him two more. He knew
+that you dined here sometimes, and he promised to point you out to me
+the first time you came if I had patience enough to wait for you every
+day between seven and eight. I accepted his offer, and by waiting
+patiently, I have at last accomplished my object."
+
+"Well, well, come to the facts, for although you have been talking ten
+minutes or more, we have made no progress whatever." Puymirol had now
+abandoned all idea of repulsing the stranger. His curiosity was greatly
+excited, and he determined not to part with this man until he had
+subjected him to a close examination.
+
+"I am coming to the facts, sir, and I trust you will not take offence at
+the question I am going to ask you. Did you find a pocket-book in the
+cab which brought you here a fortnight ago?"
+
+"Here it comes at last!" thought Puymirol. "I have you now, my fine
+fellow."
+
+"A pocket-book?" he repeated aloud in pretended astonishment. "No,
+certainly not. Had there been one in the cab I should of course have
+left it there, and as you know the number of the vehicle you should
+apply to the authorities, or rather to the driver, as you have succeeded
+in finding him."
+
+"The driver saw nothing of it. He told me so, and I am sure that he told
+the truth."
+
+"Then you may as well abandon all hope of recovering your pocket-book.
+It must have been appropriated by one of the persons who hired the
+vehicle afterwards. Did it contain any bank-notes?"
+
+"Not one; nothing, in fact, but a few lottery tickets which amount to
+nothing, for no one ever wins anything in the gigantic humbugs that are
+so extensively advertised."
+
+"Then, why do you attach so much importance to the recovery of such
+worthless property?"
+
+The stranger reflected for a moment, and then said, gravely: "I don't
+know who you are, sir, but I feel sure that you are an honourable man,
+so I do not hesitate to tell you that a woman's reputation is at stake.
+The pocket-book also contained several letters."
+
+"Good! I understand now. You fear that these letters may have fallen
+into the hands of some person who will make a bad use of them. That is
+improbable, however, as they could hardly interest the finder. But how
+the deuce did you happen to leave them in the cab--for I suppose they
+were addressed to you?"
+
+"You are mistaken, sir. The woman who wrote them commissioned me to
+claim them from the man who received them. I was fortunate enough to
+obtain possession of them, but only after a deal of difficulty. I will
+even admit to you that I was obliged to threaten the scoundrel who held
+them, and who intended to make use of them. He finally yielded, but he
+hoped to regain possession of them, and with that object he had me
+followed by two of his hirelings. I found that out, and surmised that
+his spies first intended to find out where I was going, then to spring
+upon me just as I was entering the house, and wrest the pocket-book from
+me."
+
+"In broad daylight, and in the heart of Paris? Why, you need only have
+summoned a policeman or some passer-by to foil the scoundrels."
+
+"That was exactly what they wanted. Had I called for assistance, my
+assailants would have accused me of stealing the pocket-book. A crowd
+would have gathered round us, and we should have been taken before a
+commissary of police, who would have found the pocket-book upon me. An
+examination of its contents would have been enough, and more than
+enough, to ruin the person I wished to save."
+
+"Well, if I had been in your place, I should have crossed the bridge,
+and thrown the pocket-book into the Seine."
+
+"Yes, I might have done that, but the idea did not occur to me. I was
+just turning out of the Rue de Rivoli when I saw several cabs waiting to
+enter that street. On passing the last one I laid my hand on the ledge
+of the open window, and dropped the pocket-book inside."
+
+"The men who were following you must have seen your gesture."
+
+"The fact that they continued to follow me is sufficient proof to the
+contrary. I amused myself by leading them as far as Montrouge. There I
+entered a house that has two doors, and succeeded in escaping from
+them."
+
+"But you must have expected that the occupants of the cab would pick up
+the pocket-book."
+
+"Yes; but as it could not be of the slightest use to them, I hoped I
+should regain possession of it. I took good care to note the number of
+the cab, and you see I accomplished my object, as I have succeeded in
+finding you."
+
+"That is to say, you suppose I am one of the persons who were in the cab
+at the time."
+
+"I am sure of it, and I am also sure that, touched by the trying
+situation in which I am placed, you will return the pocket-book to me."
+
+"You are too hasty in your conclusions, for even if the article were in
+my possession, I should not return it without due consideration. In the
+first place, I should have to know whom I have to deal with, for there
+is nothing to prove that you are not an emissary of the man, who, as you
+pretend, hired some fellows to follow you. You would have to tell me
+your name and address, in order that I might make the necessary
+inquiries respecting you."
+
+"My name and address are a secret that I am not free to divulge. Be more
+generous. Restore me the letters without demanding my name. It would be
+a most kind and noble action, and later on, I shall be able to repay the
+debt of gratitude I owe you." Puymirol seemed in no haste to reply. He
+now felt sure that Dargental's murderer sat before him, and he was
+asking himself what course he had better pursue. "I can now confess that
+I fully expected to purchase the pocket-book from the finder," continued
+the stranger. "I was ready and willing to give him as many thousand
+francs as he chose to ask for it; but, on seeing you, I realised that
+such a course was out of the question. One can not offer money to a
+gentleman like you. One can only appeal to his feelings, and invoke his
+pity for an imprudent woman."
+
+"You argue exactly as if I had the letters in my pocket," said Adhémar,
+in order to gain time.
+
+"In your pocket, or in your desk at home, which amounts to the same
+thing, as it is in your power to restore them to me in either case."
+
+"You would consent to accompany me home, then?"
+
+"Instantly, if you wish it."
+
+"But I don't wish it. You refuse to tell me where you live, so I don't
+see why I should tell you where I live."
+
+"Well, there is nothing to prevent you from making an appointment with
+me for to-morrow at this same restaurant."
+
+"I only make appointments with my friends."
+
+"Am I to take this as your final answer?"
+
+"Yes, and I will now state my reasons. I did see this pocket-book. It
+fell into my lap. Now that you have enlightened me, there is no reason
+why I should deny the fact any longer. But, as for returning the
+article, it is impossible, as it is no longer in my possession."
+
+"You can at least tell me what you have done with it."
+
+"I did what any one else would have done with it. I left it at the
+office of the commissary of police."
+
+The stranger turned perceptibly paler, but he did not lose countenance.
+"At the office of the commissary of the Chaussée d'Antin district?" he
+asked.
+
+"Do you think of claiming the article?" rejoined Puymirol, wishing to
+evade this rather embarrassing question.
+
+"Possibly. Before doing so, however, I must consult the person who is
+most interested in the matter. But you, no doubt, opened the pocket-book
+before taking it to the commissary's office?"
+
+"Yes; and on discovering that it only contained some papers, my first
+impulse was to throw it out of the window, but on reflection I said to
+myself: Russian leather has its value, and I thought that the papers
+might furnish a clue to the owner of the article."
+
+"Did you read the letters?"
+
+"I glanced at them, and seeing that they bore no signature I replaced
+them in the pocket-book," replied Puymirol, at the same time suddenly
+noticing the direction of the stranger's glance, which was turned upon
+his--Puymirol's chest. Instinctively raising his hand he found that one
+end of the pocket-book was now projecting from his breast-pocket. He had
+unbuttoned his coat on sitting down to dinner, but he now hastily closed
+it again.
+
+"I am greatly obliged to you," said the stranger, slowly. "For I now
+know where the letters are. I am very sorry to have troubled you, and I
+will not inflict my company upon you any longer." With these words he
+rose, returned to his table, and asked the waiter for his bill.
+
+"I see your little game," thought Puymirol, "you intend to follow me
+when I leave the restaurant. Try it, old fellow, we shall see." And
+then, wishing to be quite free in his movements, he also asked for his
+score.
+
+The two bills were brought at the same time. They both paid, and the
+stranger rose to go. While he was putting on his overcoat, however,
+Puymirol asked in a loud voice for some cigars of a particular brand,
+which, as he knew perfectly well, was not kept in the house. This was
+done solely for the purpose of convincing the stranger that he did not
+intend to leave the table for several minutes, and the fellow fell into
+the trap. Puymirol saw him pass down the main staircase, and disappear
+behind the curtains of the vestibule. A moment afterwards, he also rose,
+slipped on his overcoat, and passed out, not by the main exit, but by a
+side-door, communicating with the Hôtel du Helder, of which the
+restaurant is an adjunct. He duly proceeded to the hotel entrance, and,
+peering out, looked up and down the street. It was dark, and no foot
+passengers were visible, but, finally, inside a wine-shop, brilliantly
+lighted up and only a few yards off, he saw a person standing near the
+glass door with his eyes fixed on the restaurant. Puymirol waited ten
+minutes or more watching this man, and at last the glass door opened,
+and the fellow crossed the street to the Lion d'Or and spoke to the
+doorkeeper, who at once darted up the stairs leading to the restaurant.
+"Good!" thought Puymirol, "the scoundrel wants to find out if I am still
+at table. When he finds that I have left he will decamp without loss of
+time. I hope the head-waiter won't tell him which way I went out. But if
+he does, this man will never suspect that I am still here, and if he
+should come this way, I can easily conceal myself."
+
+A moment later, the doorkeeper returned and evidently reported the
+result of his mission. The stranger slipped a gratuity into his hand,
+crossed the street, and then walked slowly towards the Boulevard
+Haussmann, without pausing to look around or behind, as he would have
+done had he suspected that anyone meant to follow him. "My ruse has
+succeeded," muttered Puymirol, "and the rascal can't escape me now. I
+certainly mean to follow him, and when I have found out where he lives,
+all the rest will be plain sailing."
+
+On reaching the end of the Rue du Helder, the man paused for an instant,
+and then turned down the Rue Taitbout. "Perhaps he isn't going straight
+home," thought Puymirol. "When he threw the pocket-book into the cab he
+was bound for the left bank of the river, so he must live in that
+direction. Perhaps he is now going to see the woman whose cause he has
+espoused. I must be careful."
+
+Puymirol did not at first realize that to follow a man successfully the
+pursuer must remain some little distance behind. If he follows him too
+closely, he is almost sure to attract his attention, and this almost
+happened at the corner of the Rue de Provence, when the stranger was
+obliged to stop short to let a carriage pass. He went on his way almost
+immediately, but it was a lesson that Puymirol profited by. The stranger
+now went up the Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, as far as the Place de la
+Trinité, where he again hesitated, and Puymirol had to hastily conceal
+himself behind a vehicle. However, the stranger finally decided to cross
+the square and went down the Rue de Londres, but on reaching the Place
+de l'Europe he stopped again. A train was passing under the railway
+bridge, and he leant over the railing to watch it. One might have
+fancied that he had nothing better to do than to kill time by strolling
+about the streets. At last, however, he leisurely turned into the Rue de
+Madrid, and it suddenly occurred to Puymirol that this street crossed
+the Avenue de Messine, where Blanche Pornic resided. True, he had seen
+Blanche with an officer at the restaurant, but she might have finished
+her dinner and have returned home in a cab before now, so possibly this
+man, who had murdered Dargental, was her hireling. But on reaching the
+corner of the Avenue de Messine, the stranger, instead of entering that
+thoroughfare, walked on as far as the Rue de Vigny, a short street, at
+the end of which the Lescombat mansion stands. The mystery was solved.
+The stranger was certainly going to the countess's house. He was not in
+Blanche's employ but in hers. Puymirol forthwith returned to his first
+plan, which was to make a direct attack upon Madame de Lescombat. He now
+held her secret, and she could not refuse him anything, for she was at
+his mercy. Still, it was necessary for him to make sure that the man
+entered her house, and for some minutes past the pursuit had been
+attended with much more difficulty. This part of Paris is but little
+frequented in the evening, and Puymirol and the man he was following
+were the only persons in the street, so that, if the stranger turned, he
+could hardly fail to notice his pursuer. However, the stranger did not
+turn. On the contrary, he walked on with his head bowed upon his breast,
+and a cigar in his mouth, apparently oblivious to everything transpiring
+around him. He was already passing the high wall that inclosed the
+grounds of the Lescombat mansion. There was here a small gate, but,
+instead of ringing at it, he pushed on towards the boulevard, where the
+main entrance was situated, and Puymirol finally saw him disappear round
+the corner. He followed on in hot haste. Two windows of Madame de
+Lescombat's abode were lighted up--those of the boudoir where the
+countess usually sat--but the stranger was not in front of the gate.
+Puymirol thought he must have already gone in, and he himself was about
+to ring, when he perceived the fellow standing in the middle of the
+thoroughfare, and gazing at a fountain. However, the light of an
+approaching omnibus was visible in the distance, and Puymirol thought
+that the stranger might be waiting for it. But he was again mistaken.
+The omnibus passed on; the man crossed the boulevard, and turning into
+the next street, walked off in an exactly opposite direction to that
+taken by the omnibus. "No matter," muttered Puymirol, "I will not lose
+sight of him until I see him enter a house. Even then, I must satisfy
+myself before I leave, that the house he enters is really the one he
+lives in. Baccarat has nearly ruined me, but I still have enough money
+about me to bribe a doorkeeper. At all events, I shall persevere until
+the end."
+
+After going a short distance, the man turned suddenly to the right, into
+a street that Puymirol was not acquainted with, but which must lead back
+to the point they had left a few moments before. "Can he have noticed
+me, and is he trying to throw me off the scent?" Puymirol asked himself
+for the first time. "Or, has he allowed me to follow him, in order to
+draw me into some trap? It would not astonish me on the part of such a
+scoundrel as he is." Indeed, the fellow knew that the pocket-book was in
+Puymirol's possession, for he had seen it projecting from his coat at
+the restaurant, and he had every reason to suppose that the letters were
+still inside it. This reflection made Adhémar pause, but only for a
+moment. He had gone too far to retreat, so he hurried on again,
+soliloquising: "Fortunately, I left the letters with George. There are
+only some lottery tickets in the case, and, after all, I don't see why I
+should even leave them inside." And, thereupon, he opened the
+pocket-book, took out the tickets and slipped them into his waistcoat
+pocket, replacing the case in his coat.
+
+The stranger was now some distance in advance, for the person walking
+along so rapidly about half-way up the street must certainly be he, and
+Puymirol, seeing him again turn to the right, hastened on regardless of
+the noise his boots made on the asphalt. But he had mistaken another
+pedestrian for the enemy he wished to overtake, for just as he was least
+expecting it, his foe, emerging from an alley in which he had concealed
+himself, sprung out upon him, and seized him by the throat. Puymirol was
+strong, but the attack was so sudden and so violent, that he had not
+time to defend himself. He felt a violent twist, and that was all. His
+breath failed him, his arms fluttered, and he lost his footing, falling,
+half-fainting, upon the pavement. He did not entirely lose
+consciousness, but his sensations were vague and confused. He fancied
+that there was a heavy weight upon his chest, that his coat was being
+unbuttoned and his pockets searched, but all this was done so quickly
+that he was scarcely aware of it. How many minutes elapsed before he
+fully regained his senses, he never knew; but when he did recover them,
+he perceived that his assailant had disappeared. He rose with
+difficulty, and while satisfying himself that he had no bones broken, he
+likewise discovered that his pocket-book had disappeared. His watch, his
+money, and the lottery tickets were safe, however. His assailant had
+merely wanted to get the letters, and he was foiled in his attempt, for
+he had not found them.
+
+Puymirol endeavoured to console himself with this reflection, but
+although he still possessed the letters he did not know what use to make
+of them. Nothing short of a miracle was now required to extricate him
+from his dilemma, but Puymirol was no believer in miracles.
+
+
+
+
+III.
+
+
+While Puymirol was engaged in these adventures, George Caumont was
+dreaming of his love. He had gone to the club after dinner in the hope
+of finding his friend, but failing in this, he had comforted himself
+with the thought that Puymirol would be sure to return home sooner or
+later, and accordingly he went back to the Rue de Medicis where they
+occupied separate suites of apartments in the same house. George fell
+asleep dreaming of Gabrielle Verdon; but as soon as he awoke in the
+morning, he repaired to his friend's rooms of which he had a key, just
+as Adhémar had a key to his, and on going in, he found the bed
+undisturbed. This discovery made him rather anxious, and after waiting
+in vain all the morning, George finally determined to go in search of
+Adhémar. He first repaired to the residence of the Countess de
+Lescombat, knowing that Puymirol had gone there, but a fresh
+disappointment awaited him, for the countess was out, and the
+doorkeeper, whilst admitting that M. de Puymirol had called on the day
+before, added that he had only remained a short time. George thereupon
+left his card, with the announcement that he would call upon Madame de
+Lescombat on the following afternoon, and re-entering his cab, was
+driven to the club. He learned that his friend had been fencing there on
+the day before, but that nothing had been seen of him since then;
+whereupon he made a tour of various gambling-houses, where Puymirol
+might have spent the night, but no one could give him any news.
+Disheartened by this failure, George finally drove back to the Rue de
+Medicis with a vague hope of finding that Adhémar had returned. But in
+this expectation he was likewise disappointed, and after writing a few
+lines, in which he begged Puymirol to wait for him in case he came back
+before he did, he made a hasty toilet and repaired to the Luxembourg
+garden in search of Gabrielle and her mother. He soon found them seated
+alone near a clump of shrubbery, Madame Verdon reading a newspaper,
+whilst Gabrielle was busy with some crotchet work. M. Rochas was not
+with them, though there were three chairs. George realised that they
+were expecting him, and that Gabrielle had chosen this spot so that they
+might not be disturbed. She gave a cry of delight on perceiving him, and
+her mother greeted him with an encouraging smile.
+
+"Your coming is most opportune, sir," she graciously remarked. "We were
+just speaking of you. Yes; I was just saying to Gabrielle that her
+brother is very unlike you. You are faithful to your friends, whereas
+that naughty boy ignores me entirely. Would you believe it, we have not
+seen him since the horse show, and he reached Paris only yesterday
+morning. He will make his appearance sooner or later, I suppose, and
+consider himself deeply aggrieved if we do not give him a cordial
+reception. But, let us say no more about that, but talk of something
+else. My daughter has told me everything."
+
+George bowed, but remained silent.
+
+"Come, don't be over modest," continued Madame Verdon. "You have known
+ever since yesterday that Gabrielle loves you, and that I approve of her
+choice. She has never concealed anything from me, and she has repeated
+to me every word that passed between you. It is as well you should know
+that I have always told her: 'My dear girl, marry to suit yourself. I
+shall have nothing to do with the affair, excepting as regards giving my
+consent when you ask me for it. I think you incapable of loving a man
+unworthy of you. I shall, therefore, trust to your discernment, and take
+care not to thwart your inclinations.'"
+
+This little speech rather surprised George, but he was obliged to admit
+that there was considerable good sense in the lady's theories, and he
+was really grateful to her for thus breaking the ice. Besides, he could
+not forget that Gabrielle's frankness, far from shocking, had delighted
+him, and he could not consistently blame the mother for acting in the
+same way.
+
+Madame Verdon added some remarks as to George's father, his own position
+and prospects, and finally exclaimed: "I feel sure that you will make my
+daughter happy, and as it does not seem necessary to consult her--"
+
+"Not at all necessary, mamma. I am already engaged," exclaimed
+Gabrielle, gaily.
+
+"Then," resumed Madame Verdon, "I give my consent. And now, my dear
+son-in-law, you can confer with my notary whenever you please. He will
+explain my daughter's financial situation to you, and you can explain
+yours to him. Gabrielle's fortune is entirely at her own disposal. She
+has her share of her father's property, and I shall also give her a
+dowry of two hundred thousand francs. Your father will certainly do
+something on his side, so you will be able to begin housekeeping with at
+least thirty thousand francs a year."
+
+"You are too generous," murmured George. "I wish mademoiselle were poor.
+In that case, she could not doubt my disinterestedness."
+
+"Do you think that I doubt it now?" asked Gabrielle, quickly.
+
+"I am sure that I don't," chimed in Madame Verdon, "and as you love each
+other, that is enough. Everything else is of little moment, I have
+always been of that opinion, and when I was young nothing could have
+induced me to marry for money, nor could anything induce me to do such a
+thing even now." George pricked up his ears. He realised that the lady's
+confession would not be much longer deferred. "The moment has come," she
+continued, "to inform you of a project, which my daughter has, perhaps,
+mentioned to you. I am about to marry again, and I am sure you will
+approve of my resolve, when you become better acquainted with my
+intended husband, whom I introduced to you yesterday at the Palais de
+l'Industrie. Monsieur Jacques Rochas is several years older than myself,
+but I should not care to marry a young man. He is a widower, but he has
+no children, and he is wealthy. His disposition and character suit me.
+I am perfectly well aware that this is no reason why they should please
+every one, and I shall not insist upon my daughter and my son-in-law
+living with us. My plans for the future are made. Jacques and I intend
+to travel a good deal, and when we settle down, we shall purchase a
+château not far from Paris, where we can entertain our friends. You will
+always be very welcome there, you and Gabrielle, but as neither of you
+has much liking for a country life, you had better install yourselves
+comfortably inside Paris. Remember that I shall never cease to take an
+interest in my dear Gabrielle's welfare and in yours. I even hope to
+contribute to your happiness. I was anxious to tell you all this, for I
+did not wish you to engage yourself to my daughter without a full
+knowledge of all the circumstances. If this explicit statement of my
+intentions does not displease you, it will only remain for us to fix the
+wedding-day."
+
+"The earlier the date, the better pleased I shall be," said George, with
+an ardent glance at Mademoiselle Verdon.
+
+"Well, I can not speak for Gabrielle, who maintains a determined
+silence, but I should like to leave France for Switzerland--Monsieur
+Rochas's birthplace--about the middle of May."
+
+"A fortnight would be ample time to accomplish all the formalities."
+
+"Let us say a fortnight, then. I will leave it to you young people to
+fix the precise day; still I shall forthwith announce this great event
+to Monsieur Rochas, who will feel very glad I'm sure; and that young
+rogue, Albert, will condescend, I hope, to lead his sister to the
+altar."
+
+"Are you not afraid that your son may be displeased at not being
+consulted?" inquired George.
+
+"My son has no voice in the matter."
+
+"And he loves me too well not to rejoice at my happiness," added
+Gabrielle, quickly. "He will be our best friend."
+
+"Well, if he goes on as he has begun, you are not likely to see much of
+him," said Madame Verdon, gaily. "But how about your friend, Monsieur de
+Puymirol? I hope he will act as your best man, or at least as one of
+your witnesses on your marriage-day. He is a very handsome young fellow,
+and as you two are inseparable, I hear, I hope you will soon introduce
+him to us."
+
+"Certainly," murmured George. "I haven't seen him to-day, but I shall
+meet him this evening, no doubt, and--"
+
+"Oh, I can very readily understand why you did not bring him with you,
+this morning," interrupted Madame Verdon. "On such an occasion the most
+intimate friends are in the way. But, speaking of intimate friends, I
+must tell you that there is a person whom you will see a great deal of
+when Gabrielle becomes your wife, for he cannot bear her out of his
+sight. That is our worthy friend, Roch Plancoët."
+
+George gave the ladies a questioning look as if asking what was the
+nature of the bond that united this stranger to Mademoiselle Verdon.
+"Roch was my father's foster-brother," said Gabrielle, prompted,
+probably, by a desire to reassure her lover. "They were brought up
+together, and after my father's death, he could not make up his mind to
+abandon my brother and myself, for he had been deeply attached to us
+from our infancy. When we came to Paris, he came here as well. He is a
+most devoted friend, but he is painfully shy. You have never yet seen
+him, and never will see him, in my mother's drawing-room, but not a day
+passes without his coming to the house to spend an hour or two with me,
+and he would go through fire and water to spare me pain. He is old
+enough to be my father, and he loves me as if I were really his
+daughter."
+
+"Yes, you are a great favourite with him," said Madame Verdon, "but
+every one is not fortunate enough to be in his good graces. He is very
+fond of your brother, too, but he is not at all partial to me, and I am
+quite sure that he does not like Monsieur Rochas. By the way, Gabrielle,
+I am surprised that we have seen nothing of him since yesterday
+morning--"
+
+"So I have found you at last," at this moment cried a clear, ringing
+voice that made all three of the party glance up hastily. "I have been
+looking for you fully three quarters of an hour. I met Roch at your
+door, and he told me you must be here."
+
+"Albert!" exclaimed the young girl, springing up and flinging her arms
+about the neck of her brother, who embraced her heartily in return. "We
+have been so uneasy about you!" she cried. "Where have you been, you bad
+fellow?"
+
+"Oh, I had to dine with some comrades, of course. It would not be worth
+while winning a prize, if one didn't celebrate one's good fortune by a
+dinner afterwards."
+
+"Nonsense!" exclaimed Madame Verdon. "Confess that you have been dancing
+attendance upon the damsel who threw you some violets."
+
+"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean, mamma," replied the young
+lieutenant, frowning.
+
+"Oh, well, we will say no more about it," rejoined Madame Verdon. "You
+are no longer a schoolboy, and I have no right to keep you tied to my
+apron strings, but if I were your colonel, I should put you under
+arrest. But I have two pieces of news for you. First, however, allow me
+to introduce Monsieur George Caumont, who will soon be your
+brother-in-law. We were just deciding upon the wedding-day."
+
+Albert instantly became serious, but a questioning glance which he gave
+Gabrielle elicited from her a happy smile. "Do you remember what I wrote
+to you last winter?" she asked. "It is true I did not mention any names,
+but--"
+
+"I should think I did remember!" exclaimed the young officer, "and I was
+going to inquire about the happy man this very day. As it is this
+gentleman, I must ask him to shake hands with me. I trust we shall be
+good friends."
+
+"I sincerely hope so," replied George, cordially shaking the
+lieutenant's proffered hand.
+
+"You don't belong to the army?" resumed Albert.
+
+"No, indeed," exclaimed Madame Verdon. "Monsieur Caumont is just
+completing his law studies. His father is a landed proprietor in
+Normandy."
+
+"Well, Monsieur Caumont pleases Gabrielle, and that is enough for me,
+mamma. If he didn't, I would not take him for a brother-in-law."
+
+"My preference has always been for marriages of inclination," replied
+Madame Verdon; "love matches, if you like--and you will need no better
+proof of that than my announcement of my own approaching marriage with
+Monsieur Jacques Rochas." Albert turned pale, but did not say a word. It
+was evident that he was making a violent effort to control himself.
+"Monsieur Rochas was your guardian," continued Madame Verdon, drily,
+"and for ten years he has been almost one of the family. Our marriage is
+a settled thing, and nothing that you can say, will make any difference.
+However, Gabrielle's wedding is the first thing to be considered. I
+expect it will take place in about a fortnight's time."
+
+"And yours, mother?" asked Albert.
+
+"Mine will come off next month, in Switzerland, probably. On my return
+to France, I shall live in the country, and very quietly."
+
+"That will be best," remarked Albert, gravely.
+
+George began to look very uncomfortable, and Gabrielle had tears in her
+eyes. "I am sorry to leave you, my dear Monsieur Caumont," now said the
+mother, "but it is growing chilly, and my daughter and I must return
+home. Remember, however, that from this time forth our home is yours. I
+leave you with my son, whom you ought to convert to a sensible way of
+thinking."
+
+Madame Verdon rose up as she spoke, and Gabrielle followed her, but not
+until she had given her brother and her lover a meaning glance. The two
+young fellows, on being left alone, strolled towards a café at Albert's
+suggestion, and while quaffing a glass of beer, they began to chat like
+two old friends. Albert, who showed himself remarkably communicative,
+related his adventures with Mademoiselle Blanche Pornic, beginning with
+the horse-show and winding up with the announcement that he had dined
+with her on the previous evening at the Lion d'Or.
+
+"At the Lion d'Or! that's singular," muttered George, thinking of the
+lunch ordered by Dargental, and at which Blanche had figured so
+prominently.
+
+"Why is it singular? It seems to be a very popular restaurant. We had
+scarcely sat down when in came a gentleman whom Blanche knew, and whose
+name she told me--a Monsieur de Puymirol."
+
+"Puymirol! are you sure that you are not mistaken in the name?" cried
+George. This was the first news that he had received of his friend for
+twenty-four hours, and it seemed strange that tidings should reach him
+in such a roundabout way.
+
+"Perfectly sure, for Blanche told me an interesting story in connection
+with this gentleman. He was the intimate friend, it seems, of a
+Monsieur Dargental who was murdered a fortnight or so ago."
+
+"Did she tell you that?"
+
+"Yes, and a deal more. She pretends to think that the gentleman in
+question was murdered by one of his old flames--a Countess de Lescombat,
+whom she seems to hate. I even suspect that they must once have been
+rivals. But is this story really true? I never saw anything about it in
+the newspapers."
+
+"There is this much truth in it: Dargental was killed by a pistol shot,
+but no one knows who fired it."
+
+"I certainly hope it wasn't Blanche. That would rather dampen my ardour.
+Would you believe it, my dear fellow, she wanted me to pay a visit to
+this countess and threaten her, but of course, I refused."
+
+"Threaten her with what?"
+
+"I didn't very clearly understand. It was something about some letters
+that Blanche had written, and which had fallen into the hands of the
+countess. Blanche wants to regain possession of them, and she seemed to
+think that I could assist her in obtaining them. However, I told her
+very plainly that the mission did not suit me, and then she insisted no
+further. On the contrary, we parted the best friends in the world."
+
+"Well, believe me, I don't speak lightly; but I advise you to have
+nothing more to do with Blanche Pornic. She is a very attractive woman,
+but there are plenty of others equally charming; besides, there are
+circumstances that render any intimacy with her undesirable, and even
+dangerous just now. Dargental's tragical death has created a good deal
+of talk, and the authorities have begun an investigation. I know that
+Blanche has been questioned already, and maybe she may still be
+implicated in the affair."
+
+"Hum! that would be serious; but excuse me, I see over there a worthy
+man whom I wish to introduce to you--Roch Plancoët, my poor father's
+foster brother."
+
+"Madame Verdon just spoke of him to me."
+
+"Then you already know that he is the best friend we have in the world.
+He has been devoted to my sister and myself from our earliest infancy.
+He might have made a fortune in the business--he was in a fair way of
+doing so--but he has come to live in Paris on an income of six thousand
+francs a year, because he couldn't exist without seeing Gabrielle. We
+will have a chat with him if you don't mind. Here, Plancoët!" The
+promenader looked up, recognised Albert, and hastened towards him. "How
+are you, old fellow?" asked the young lieutenant, slapping him
+familiarly on the shoulder. "You must take a glass of beer with us. Sit
+down. Do you see this gentleman? Well, he is Gabrielle's intended
+husband."
+
+M. Plancoët did not seem to be very much surprised by this abrupt
+announcement, but he looked searchingly at George, who returned the
+scrutiny with interest. This faithful friend of the Verdon family seemed
+to be about fifty years of age, and he was still strong and hearty. His
+strong features bespoke unusual energy, and strength of mind. His eyes
+were keen and intelligent, and his smile had much of the patient
+sweetness of a man accustomed to sacrifice himself for others. In short,
+his appearance was decidedly prepossessing, and George instantly
+conceived a strong liking to him. "I trust, sir," he said, almost
+affectionately, "that Mademoiselle Verdon's marriage will not part you
+from her. You will always be most welcome at my wife's house."
+
+"I thank you for this assurance," replied M. Plancoët, quietly but
+earnestly, "though I must admit that I was not unprepared for it.
+Gabrielle has so often spoken of you, and always in such high terms,
+that I relied as implicitly upon your hospitality as you can rely upon
+my devotion."
+
+"Monsieur Caumont doesn't doubt that, my dear Roch," interposed Albert.
+"I have told him all about you. But I have another piece of news for
+you--one that is much less agreeable in its nature."
+
+"Your mother's intended marriage," said Plancoët, sadly. "That isn't
+necessary, my boy. She announced it to me this morning. But what about
+yourself, what have you been doing since I saw you last?--more than six
+months ago--for our meeting at the door of your mother's house does not
+count, as you merely said two or three words to me, and then rushed off
+like a madman."
+
+"Tell you what I have been doing? Being bored to death--that is about
+all. If you think military life very enjoyable, you are greatly
+mistaken."
+
+"You doubtless found it very dull while in garrison; but you seem to
+have been making up for it since your arrival in Paris. Your sister
+vainly expected you all the morning, and she is very cross with you in
+consequence."
+
+"We are reconciled. Besides, although I dined at the Lion d'Or
+yesterday, I shall dine at home this evening."
+
+"At the Lion d'Or!" repeated M. Plancoët, in astonishment. "You dined at
+the Lion d'Or yesterday?"
+
+"Yes, old fellow. What is there so very astonishing about that? It's a
+good restaurant. My intended brother-in-law often patronizes it, I'm
+sure, though he probably goes alone, whereas I was in company with a
+very pretty woman."
+
+"I don't patronize it often," answered George. "In fact, I have not been
+there since the day I lunched with my friend Puymirol."
+
+"The gentleman whom Blanche pointed out to me yesterday!" exclaimed the
+lieutenant. "But she was at that lunch as well. She told me so."
+
+"Yes, there were four of us. She was the only lady."
+
+"And it was the very day of Monsieur Dargental's death. Blanche could
+talk of nothing else. You may have heard of that gentleman's murder,
+Plancoët?"
+
+"No--that is to say, yes. It seems to me I did see something about it in
+the papers," stammered M. Plancoët, with the air of a man suddenly
+awakening from a dream. "Were you acquainted with him?"
+
+"Not at all, but George, here, knew him well." The friend of the family
+now looked searchingly at George. "What the deuce is the matter with you
+to-day?" continued Albert. "You seem to be amazed at everything. Is
+there anything so very extraordinary in the fact that Caumont should
+have known that gentleman? His friend Puymirol was also acquainted with
+him, and so was the lady who dined with me yesterday."
+
+"Speaking of my friend Puymirol," said George, turning to the
+lieutenant. "I am very uneasy about him, for he didn't return home last
+night. We live in the same house, you know, No. 14, Rue de Medicis?"
+
+"Oh, he will turn up safely, no doubt. It isn't so strange for a young
+bachelor to stop out all night in Paris," added Albert, laughing. "By
+the way, you must bring him to see my mother. She will find a wife for
+him. But I forgot. She won't have time, as she intends to leave Paris
+immediately after your wedding."
+
+"Puymirol will be my best man, probably."
+
+"And Plancoët will certainly be one of my sister's witnesses, so that
+these gentlemen will have an opportunity of making each other's
+acquaintance. But the prospect does not seem to please you, Roch. You
+look dreadfully gloomy. Have you anything against the gentleman?"
+
+"I!" exclaimed Plancoët. "Why! this is the first time I ever heard of
+him."
+
+"Then why do you look so sulky? Ever since you have heard that he is
+likely to figure at the ceremony, your face has worn the same expression
+as it assumes when you see Rochas."
+
+"You must be dreaming, my boy. The truth is, your proposal did not
+strike me very favourably, as I am much too old to serve as Gabrielle's
+witness. One of your comrades would be much more suitable. The old bring
+misfortune with them."
+
+"Nonsense! On the contrary, you are a fetish. We have always prospered
+since we knew you."
+
+"That isn't the opinion of every one," remarked M. Plancoët, pointedly.
+
+George realised that Madame Verdon was the exception referred to, and he
+thought it time to conclude the interview. He had seen enough of M.
+Plancoët, and it seemed to him that the worthy man stared at him in a
+rather objectionable manner; besides, he was anxious to find out if
+Puymirol had returned home. "Excuse me for leaving you now," he said,
+pleasantly. "But I shall feel very uncomfortable until I see my friend
+again, and as I hate suspense, I am going to put an end to it by
+interviewing my doorkeeper."
+
+"Of course," said Albert, "I also must go home if I want to avoid a
+scene. My mother is just in the humour to scold me, and Gabrielle may
+side with her, for she must be impatiently waiting to know what I think
+of you. She will probably subject me to a close examination; still you
+need have no fears as regards my replies."
+
+"But where are you going, Roch? Will you accompany me home?"
+
+"It's impossible. I have some business to attend to--"
+
+"As usual. The deuce take me, if I can imagine how you occupy your time.
+But it is no affair of mine. Good-bye, my dear brother-in-law, I hope to
+see you again soon."
+
+The two young men exchanged a cordial pressure of the hand, while M.
+Plancoët contented himself with bowing to Gabrielle's future husband.
+The salute was very pleasant and deferential, but George somehow fancied
+that M. Plancoët seemed inclined to hold himself a little aloof, and
+that there was a slight cloud between them.
+
+They separated, and George then hastened to the Rue de Medicis, where he
+learnt with no little consternation, that Puymirol had given no sign of
+life. Some serious accident must certainly have happened to him. In
+fact, it was a much more terrible matter than George supposed.
+
+
+
+
+V.
+
+
+After his midnight mishap, Puymirol, still suffering from his fall,
+slowly and gloomily retraced his steps. What should he do with himself?
+He was in no humour to go to bed, and the thought occurred to him that
+he might perhaps still retrieve his losses at the gaming-table. The
+doors of his own club were closed against him until his outstanding debt
+was paid, but he knew other places easy of access, for in Paris there
+are plenty of private gambling-dens to which a man can gain admission by
+feeing the doorkeeper, as Puymirol was well aware. Thus in his great
+need, the idea of again trying his luck occurred to him, and he did not
+lose a moment in carrying it into execution. But, alas, the thirty louis
+which still remained to him were speedily lost in an establishment of
+the Chaussée d'Antin; and Puymirol, disheartened and exhausted, left the
+card-room, and passing into an adjoining apartment flung himself upon a
+sofa. He felt that irresistible longing to sleep which so often follows
+upon great crises. His eyes closed in spite of all his efforts to keep
+them open, and in a few moments he fell into a profound slumber which no
+one at first disturbed, for at the gaming-table players don't trouble
+themselves about the wounded. He was still sleeping heavily when he was
+roughly shaken by a footman; and when he opened his eyes in bewilderment
+he found that it was broad daylight. "What time is it?" he inquired,
+with a yawn.
+
+"Past eight o'clock," replied the footman sullenly. "All the other
+gentlemen left a long while ago; and I must set the room in order. This
+isn't a lodging house."
+
+Puymirol felt strongly inclined to kick the fellow who had so rudely
+recalled him to the realities of life, but he restrained his wrath, and
+rose up without a word. He found his hat and overcoat in the
+cloak-room, and forthwith left the establishment, having decided to
+return home at once so as to see George and procure the letters, for his
+late reverses had discouraged him so much that he was now inclined to
+accept Madame de Lescombat's offer. He accordingly walked towards the
+boulevard. Paris was already astir; the passers-by jostled him on the
+side walk, and vehicles went rapidly to and fro. As he was hastening
+past a doorway he narrowly escaped stumbling over a boy who was lying
+there, more than half asleep. At this, he paused, with a muttered oath,
+and heard the urchin mumble a few words which he did not at first
+understand. Our friend was not in the best of humours by any means, and
+he felt highly incensed with the little fellow, whom he suspected of
+lying in wait to trip up unwary passers-by. "What did you say, you young
+rascal?" he cried savagely.
+
+"Buy the official list," sleepily responded the lad, rubbing his eyes.
+
+Seizing the little fellow by his coat collar, Puymirol set him on his
+feet in the twinkling of an eye. "Do you know," said he, "you very
+nearly broke my neck, and I have a great mind to call a policeman to
+take you to the station-house? What do you mean by going to sleep on the
+pavement?"
+
+"It is not my fault, sir," sobbed the boy. "I dared not go home because
+I hadn't sold all the lists. Mother would have been sure to beat me. So
+I ran about the streets all the evening until I couldn't stand it any
+longer, and then I sat down here to rest, and fell asleep. Don't have me
+arrested, please don't. I am going to set to work again now, and perhaps
+I shall manage to sell what I've got left."
+
+Puymirol was really kind-hearted, and the sight of the lad's distress so
+touched him, that he put his hand in his pocket. He found himself richer
+than he had supposed, for his pocket happened to contain a quantity of
+small silver, which had escaped the croupier's rake. "What have you got
+there?" he asked.
+
+"Why, sir, I'm selling lists of the winning numbers of the Lottery of
+the Decorative Art Society. They cost only two sous apiece; buy one,
+sir."
+
+"Well, here are five francs, my lad. You don't look to me as if you had
+much dinner yesterday. Go and get something to eat, and then go home to
+bed. You can take the money you have left to your mother, and she won't
+beat you."
+
+The boy took the money, trying to falter out his thanks; and as Puymirol
+hastened on, he ran after him, and forced one of the lists of winning
+numbers into his hand, saying: "Please take it. It may bring you good
+luck, sir."
+
+In Puymirol's present desperate plight the remark sounded very much like
+a sarcasm. Still he took the list, and as he went on his way he glanced
+at it mechanically, and beheld in large figures the number of the ticket
+which had won the grand prize of one hundred thousand francs.
+
+"Number 115,815!" he murmured. "That is to say, there is now somewhere
+in Paris, or in the provinces, a fortunate mortal who paid a franc for a
+scrap of paper which he can now exchange for one hundred thousand francs
+in bank notes. And this lucky fellow is perhaps a millionaire who has
+more money than he knows what to do with already, whereas if I had one
+hundred thousand francs I should consider myself independent for life."
+So reflecting, Puymirol crumpled the list in his hand, and was about to
+throw it away, when a new idea flashed through his brain. "Why, I still
+have those tickets I found in the pocket-book. While I was chasing that
+rascal last night, I placed them in my waistcoat pocket. What if I
+should find one of the winning numbers among them? Let me see."
+
+He drew out the little packet of tickets, some two dozen in number, and,
+stopping short behind a newspaper kiosk, he slowly unfolded them. As he
+glanced at the topmost ticket he could scarcely believe his eyes, for
+there was the number--the winning number printed in the centre of it. He
+read and re-read it, examined it again and again, and compared it,
+figure by figure, with the list in his other hand; but it was all quite
+true, he certainly had in his possession No. 115,815, which entitled its
+owner to the grand prize. He had nineteen francs in his pocket, nothing
+in his desk, and one hundred thousand francs between his fingers. The
+shock was so great and so unexpected, that, proof as he had always
+considered himself against emotion, he was obliged to lean against the
+newspaper kiosk for support. His brain reeled. But suddenly a fresh
+thought occurred to him. "Dash it! the ticket isn't mine! It belonged to
+Dargental. In fact, it is the only piece of property he left for his
+heirs, if he has any. I have no right to appropriate it. It would be a
+theft." Puymirol's face lengthened, but he quickly recovered himself. "A
+theft, no. I did not steal it; I found it, or rather it was thrown to
+me, which amounted to the same thing as giving it to me."
+
+This sophistry did not deceive him, however. He had invented it to quiet
+his conscience; but he realised how shallow it was. Then he thought of
+consulting Caumont, but he felt a presentiment that George would advise
+him to give up the ticket; and he did not care for advice which he did
+not intend to follow. But where and how was this grand prize payable?
+Would it only be necessary to show this triumphant No. 115,815 at the
+lottery office to convert it into bank notes? One of these questions was
+answered on the back of the ticket. He there read that the office of the
+Lottery of the Society of Decorative Arts was at the Palais de
+l'Industrie, in the Champs Elysées, Door No. 4. Puymirol's position was
+too desperate for him to indulge in much reflection. He made a nervous
+gesture as if to say: "I must cross the Rubicon," and then he replaced
+the tickets in his pocket. However, before going to the lottery office,
+he must set his toilet right. Still, this was easily managed. There were
+some Turkish baths hard by, and after indulging in the wholesome luxury
+of Oriental ablutions, he proceeded in due course to a fashionable
+barber's, where he was shaved, cosmetiqued, and perfumed, so that he
+would have been presentable anywhere, although he had not changed his
+linen. These preparations occupied him until eleven o'clock, and then,
+after partaking of a light breakfast, which exhausted his remaining
+funds, he hastened to the Palais de l'Industrie. At door No. 4, which
+seemed to him very like the gate of Paradise, he found a liveried
+footman talking with two men whom he took for favourites of fortune,
+who, like himself, had come to receive their money. He explained why he
+wished to speak to the secretary, and the attendant having gazed at him
+with admiring envy, told him to walk upstairs. The two persons who had
+been waiting, followed in his wake, and they all three entered a large
+ante-room on the first floor. A clerk rose on seeing them, and Puymirol
+was about to repeat his statement when one of the other fellows hastily
+approached the clerk, took him aside, and said a few words to him in a
+low tone; thereupon the clerk immediately opened a side door, and the
+man passed out and disappeared.
+
+Turning to Puymirol, the clerk then inquired what he wanted, and on
+learning that he had come to cash a winning ticket, he at once opened a
+door leading into the office proper, where Puymirol found two
+prepossessing-looking gentlemen. One of them sat in an arm-chair, while
+the other occupied a stool at the end of the same table, and had a large
+leather case, such as is employed for the conveyance of documents,
+before him. "To whom have I the honour of speaking?" inquired the
+gentleman in the arm-chair.
+
+"I am the holder of ticket No. 115,815, which is mentioned as having won
+one hundred thousand francs at your last drawing."
+
+"I congratulate you, sir. Will you take a seat?"
+
+Puymirol accepted the invitation; but in spite of his gracious
+reception, he felt ill at ease in the presence of these two persons.
+When a man has not a clear conscience, he sees danger everywhere, and
+Puymirol almost fancied himself a culprit arraigned before an
+investigating magistrate and his secretary. It was necessary to exhibit
+the ticket, however, so he drew the whole packet from his pocket and
+handed it to the gentleman in the arm-chair, who unfolded it, and
+examined the tickets one after another. "Here are some that do not
+interest us," he remarked: "the Tunisian Lottery, the Amsterdam
+Lottery."
+
+"Yes," replied Puymirol, "I take a chance or two in all of them, but so
+far I have never won anything."
+
+The official continued his examination, and finally lighted upon No.
+115,815. This he examined closely, first upon one side, and then upon
+the other, and finally passed it to the gentleman seated at the end of
+the table. "Excuse this close examination," he remarked to Puymirol. "It
+not infrequently happens that spurious tickets are presented to us; that
+is to say, tickets of which the numbers have been altered."
+
+"That is not the case with mine, I suppose?"
+
+"No, sir. It is a little soiled, but it has not been tampered with."
+
+"Then I can draw the amount?"
+
+"There are certain formalities which must be gone through first of all.
+Will you give me your name and address?"
+
+Puymirol coloured slightly. "Is this indispensable?" he asked. "I don't
+care to have my name in the papers. If it became known that I had won
+this prize," he added, a little nervously, "I should be beset on every
+side by requests for money. All my impecunious friends would make
+demands upon my purse, and my hundred thousand francs wouldn't last
+long."
+
+"Oh! you need have no fears, sir. We shall not publish your name. This
+isn't the first time that winners have requested us not to give their
+names, and we have always complied with such requests, although, by
+doing so, we miss an excellent advertisement for our lottery. You need
+not, therefore, object to giving us your name and address. They will be
+recorded upon our books, but no one will be allowed to see them."
+
+"That is all I ask. My name is Adhémar de Puymirol. I am a medical
+student, and I reside at No. 14 Rue de Medicis."
+
+"Very well, sir, we will make a note of it. I forgot to mention that you
+would be obliged to give this information, in any case, for no winner
+can draw a penny of his money without giving a receipt to which his
+address must be appended."
+
+"I fancied that it would only be necessary to present the ticket at your
+office so as to obtain the money, but I am ready and willing to give a
+receipt for it."
+
+The gentleman took no notice of this hint. He seemed to have become
+suddenly absorbed in the examination of some papers; however, the person
+whom Adhémar had taken for a secretary, looked up, and, with his eyes
+fixed searchingly on the applicant's face, he curtly asked: "How old are
+you?"
+
+"What difference can my age possibly make? I have attained my majority,
+as you see, and that is all that is necessary to make my receipt
+perfectly valid."
+
+"Where were you born?"
+
+"What business is that of yours?" replied Adhémar, exasperated by these
+strange questions.
+
+"You refuse to answer, then?"
+
+"Yes, certainly. I came here to draw the money due to me. I don't intend
+to be cross examined like some criminal."
+
+"Be careful, I am a commissary of police."
+
+Puymirol turned pale. He realised, at last, that he had plunged blindly
+into a frightful abyss, and that his imprudence was about to cost him
+dear. He was resolved to defend himself to the last, however. "I was not
+aware that the managers of this popular lottery required the assistance
+of police officials in the performance of their duties," he retorted.
+"This precaution will hardly favour the sale of tickets, should it
+become known to the public, and I will take good care to inform people
+about it."
+
+"You are speaking to a magistrate, remember. Tell me where, and when,
+you purchased this ticket?"
+
+"At a tobacconist's, probably."
+
+"What tobacconist's?"
+
+"The deuce take me if I can remember. I purchased between twenty and
+thirty tickets, and in a dozen different places. They are all here on
+the table."
+
+"Yes, I see you have brought them all. It is strange that the idea of
+detaching the winning ticket did not occur to you. One can not think of
+everything, however."
+
+"I brought the package exactly as I took it from my pocket-book."
+
+"Have you that pocket-book about you?"
+
+"No," stammered Puymirol, disconcerted by this question, which he might
+have foreseen, however. "I left it at home."
+
+"Of course, great as your audacity may be, you would hardly dare to
+produce that. It bears other initials than yours."
+
+"Produce it if you can," retorted Puymirol, imprudently.
+
+"I understand. You have no fear of its being produced; you have
+destroyed it."
+
+This time the commissary had made a mistake, and a suspicion that had
+flashed across Puymirol's mind a few moments before, was effectually
+dispelled. He had fancied that his assailant of the previous night might
+have been set upon his track by the police, who had taken forcible
+possession of the pocket-book, by orders of his superiors. "I do not
+understand you, unfortunately," said Adhémar. "But let us put an end to
+this. What are you aiming at?"
+
+"Well, a crime was committed in Paris about a fortnight ago. A
+well-known gentleman, a man of fashion, was murdered at mid-day, in his
+rooms. You must have heard of the affair?"
+
+"Yes, through the papers."
+
+"Well, the gentleman's valet was arrested; but, as there was no evidence
+against him, he has been released. The murderer has not only escaped
+detection so far, but the motive that prompted the crime has not yet
+been discovered. All that has been ascertained is that the victim always
+carried a pocket-book, of which a full description has been given, and
+that this pocket-book has disappeared."
+
+"All this is very interesting," sneered Puymirol. "The pocket-book
+probably contained a large sum of money?"
+
+"That is the general supposition, but one can not be sure. One thing,
+however, is certain; it contained several tickets of this lottery, and
+among this gentleman's private papers, a list of these tickets was
+found. It occurred to the investigating magistrate that he might utilise
+this information in the improbable event of one of these particular
+tickets winning a prize, and being presented for payment by the
+murderer. It was one chance in a million, and yet it has occurred. As
+soon as the investigating magistrate ascertained that one of these
+tickets had won the grand prize, he gave me orders to come here with two
+detectives. Now, you must understand the situation. What have you to
+say?"
+
+"Nothing."
+
+"Your silence is equivalent to a confession of guilt. You admit, then,
+that you purloined these tickets after killing the man who had them
+about his person?"
+
+"I admit nothing of the kind."
+
+"Oh! it is patent that you took them from the body of your victim; and
+you had the courage to open the pocket-book immediately after murdering
+that unfortunate man. Look at this ticket. The mark of your bloody
+fingers is still upon it."
+
+As the commissary spoke he spread the ticket out upon the table and
+pointed to a couple of pale red stains upon the back of it and which
+Puymirol had not perceived when he had looked at the ticket on the
+boulevard. However he made no attempt to refute the commissary's
+arguments. He had decided to defend himself in a different way. "So you
+really accuse me of murder and robbery?" he asked.
+
+"I have merely stated the facts and the conclusions one must naturally
+draw from them. It is for you to prove that my deductions are false.
+Now, do you still persist in declaring that you purchased the tickets in
+a cigar shop?"
+
+"No," was Adhémar's reluctant response. "I found them in a cab a
+fortnight ago."
+
+"And you kept them until now?"
+
+"I attached very little importance to the occurrence. Lottery tickets
+are seldom of any value."
+
+"Before the drawing, perhaps so; but afterwards when one of them has won
+a prize, it is very different."
+
+"I admit that I yielded to the temptation of trying to profit by what
+seemed almost a godsend; I had no idea of doing so until this morning,
+however, when a list of the winning numbers happened to fall into my
+hands. I had the tickets in my pocket at the time, and impelled by a
+very natural curiosity to compare them with the list, I saw that the
+first prize had been won by No. 115,815. I yielded to the temptation
+which I regret, and I am certainly sufficiently punished."
+
+"Why did you not inform Monsieur Robergeot of the finding of these
+tickets?" inquired the commissary, after a prolonged pause.
+
+"Who is Monsieur Robergeot?"
+
+"The investigating magistrate who sent for you on the day after the
+murder. I have his report here. You see I know everything."
+
+"But I had no reason to suppose that this ticket had ever belonged to
+Dargental. The magistrate said nothing that would lead me to think so.
+He only asked me what I saw on entering the room in which the body was
+lying, and what I thought of the valet's connection with the affair."
+
+"At that time the memorandum had not been found. But from what you say,
+the tickets were in your possession when you were first examined."
+
+Puymirol bit his lip, but it was too late to retract this imprudent
+admission. "Yes," he replied at last. "They had been in my possession
+since the previous day, though at the time I forgot all about them."
+
+"You picked them up in a cab you said. In that case, it is natural to
+suppose that the murderer dropped them there, or that he left them there
+intentionally. He certainly did not murder Monsieur Dargental to obtain
+possession of them. However, where did you take this cab?"
+
+"At the cab-stand near my house outside the Luxembourg."
+
+"And it took you where?"
+
+"To the Lion d'Or restaurant where Dargental had asked me to meet him.
+He was giving a lunch that day to several friends."
+
+"At what hour did you reach the restaurant?"
+
+"About noon."
+
+"And the crime must have been committed at about eleven o'clock. It is
+strange that the murderer should have driven back to the Odéon almost to
+your very door."
+
+Puymirol made no reply. He felt that he was not capable of contending
+with the commissary. "Did you take the number of this cab?" added the
+official.
+
+"No. I had no special reason for taking it."
+
+"Excuse me: had you done so, you might have questioned the driver, and
+have ascertained where he had left the passenger who had dropped the
+lottery tickets. It is true that you were not anxious to find him, as
+you had already decided to keep them." Puymirol flushed, and hung his
+head. To clear himself of the charge of murder he had placed himself in
+such a position that he could not deny a fraudulent intention. "It is a
+great pity," continued the commissary. "The driver's testimony would be
+of great importance, for the magistrate is not obliged to take your
+word, and if you can produce no witness--Were you alone in the cab?"
+
+This time Puymirol hesitated. It was too great a risk to mention George
+Caumont's name, for George, who was ignorant of the real situation of
+affairs, would simply tell the truth, and then the pocket-book, which
+Puymirol no longer possessed, would come into question; and besides,
+George would probably hand over the letters. Perhaps he would even tell
+the magistrate that one of the letters was written by the Countess de
+Lescombat, and one of the others probably by Blanche Pornic, in which
+case the least that could happen to Puymirol would be a conviction for
+perjury; so hoping to avert this new danger by a falsehood, he replied
+unblushingly: "I was alone."
+
+"There is nothing left for us, then, but to try and find the driver,"
+replied the commissary coldly, "and we may, perhaps, succeed in finding
+him. We have the exact date, as well as the point of departure, and the
+place of destination. We will make inquiries at the office of the cab
+company, and at all the livery stables. If the driver remembers the
+occurrence he can give us the clue we want."
+
+Puymirol knew perfectly well that the driver would recollect the
+occurrence, as he had given the mysterious stranger who had purloined
+the pocket-book full information about it, so seeing that he was getting
+deeper and deeper into the mire, he decided to make a bold attempt to
+cut the interview short. "I reproach myself bitterly for having yielded
+to a temptation for which I blush," he said. "You must blame me very
+severely, but I hope you will not carry matters to extremes. I belong to
+a respectable family, and my past life is without a stain. I shall be at
+your disposal, of course, but I ask your permission to withdraw."
+
+"My powers are more limited than you suppose," said the commissary
+gravely. "The magistrate will pay due attention to your explanation, but
+you must give it to him in person. He must now be at the Palais de
+Justice, and I will accompany you there."
+
+"Nothing would please me better. I thought of calling at his office
+to-day, and as you are kind enough to accompany me--"
+
+"It is my duty."
+
+The commissary then rang. One of the detectives who had remained in the
+ante-room entered, and received orders to fetch a cab: then, taking up
+his case of documents, the commissary left the room in company with
+Puymirol, whose wonted assurance had nearly deserted him. They found the
+cab at the door, and entered it, one of the detectives climbing upon the
+box, and seating himself beside the driver. The journey was a silent
+one, and ended upon the Quai de l'Horloge, at the entrance to the
+court-yard of the Conciergerie. "Where are you taking me?" asked
+Puymirol. "Monsieur Robergeot's office is in the building facing the
+boulevard."
+
+"You will soon be summoned there," replied the commissary. "But I must
+see him before you do, and in the meanwhile I must consign you to the
+dépôt of the Prefecture of Police."
+
+
+
+
+VI.
+
+
+On the day following Puymirol's arrest--for Puymirol was really and
+truly arrested--George Caumont, who had passed a very restless and
+uncomfortable night, was awakened at an early hour by his prospective
+brother-in-law. "I have come to propose a morning ride, my dear fellow,"
+said Albert. "It is generally a thankless task to arouse a friend from
+sleep, but when you hear my reasons I am sure that you will forgive me.
+You know my mare, Verdurette, that enabled me to win a prize at the
+show. Well, I have come here on her back and a friend of mine has lent
+me two other mounts,--a very gentle animal suited to a lady, and a hack
+which would do very well for you. But I must tell you that last night at
+dinner, my sister obtained my mother's permission to take a ride in the
+Bois de Boulogne this morning, escorted by her betrothed and by your
+humble servant. Fortunately Rochas wasn't there to interfere, and it was
+decided that all three of us should start at half-past nine this
+morning. So make haste, the three horses are already standing, saddled
+and bridled, in our court-yard, and Gabrielle is awaiting you on the
+balcony. However, if the proposal doesn't please you--"
+
+"On the contrary, I should be delighted, only I intended to spend my
+morning in trying to ascertain what had become of my friend Puymirol."
+
+"What! hasn't he made his appearance yet?" exclaimed Albert, gaily. "To
+spend two nights out is dissipation, indeed; but I see nothing alarming
+it. Besides, you can do nothing. Come with us to the Bois. We can spend
+a couple of hours there very pleasantly, and when you return you will
+probably find your friend here waiting for you."
+
+George was not convinced, but he could not tell Albert that Puymirol had
+become involved in dangerous schemes which might have terminated in a
+catastrophe. "All right," said he, "I should never forgive myself if I
+disappointed Mademoiselle Verdon. I will dress at once. If you like to
+smoke a cigar, there are some good ones in that box on the
+mantel-shelf." And, thereupon, George hastily dressed, and was soon
+ready to depart.
+
+The house where Madame Verdon resided was only a few steps from the Rue
+de Medicis, and on turning the corner of the Boulevard Saint-Michel the
+two friends perceived the mother and daughter on the balcony. The mother
+was arrayed in a showy morning dress, the daughter in a dark green
+habit. The three horses were waiting in the court-yard, and George
+recognised at a glance the animal intended for him, a tall chestnut,
+with a spirit of mischief in his eyes. Gabrielle hastened down, and soon
+stood beside the young men. Her eyes were shining, her cheeks rosy, and
+her lips smiling. She extended her gloved hand to her betrothed, who
+pressed a respectful kiss upon it, as she gaily said: "So here you are
+at last. I was becoming so impatient. I began to fear that we should be
+obliged to abandon our expedition, and I really believe I should have
+cried with disappointment and vexation."
+
+"I am truly sorry to have kept you waiting, mademoiselle, and--"
+
+"Come, come; there's no time to lose. Let me mount you, Gabrielle," said
+Albert, and in the twinkling of an eye his sister was in the saddle.
+
+The gentlemen then duly mounted in turn, and having saluted Madame
+Verdon they rode out of the yard. To reach the Boulevard St. Germain,
+the best road to the Bois, they had to cross the Rue de Medicis, where
+George resided, and scarcely were they in sight of that thoroughfare
+than the lieutenant turned to Caumont, exclaiming: "Why, what a crowd
+there is about your door! Can the house be on fire?"
+
+It was not a fire, but something unusual was certainly going on. There
+were now two cabs in front of the house, and a policeman was waving back
+an eager crowd of people. A presentiment that all this commotion was in
+some way connected with Puymirol flashed across George's mind. Had his
+friend been brought home, wounded, dead, perhaps? "Try to find out what
+the matter is!" urged Albert, whereupon George checked his horse and
+spoke to a man who was moving away, exasperated by not having seen
+anything.
+
+"Oh! the fools make such a fuss about nothing!" replied the fellow,
+shrugging his shoulders. "The police are searching somebody's rooms,
+that is all."
+
+George was struck dumb with astonishment. What could this mean? Whose
+apartments were they searching? And as he asked himself this question it
+suddenly occurred to him that this search might be for the famous
+letters. The magistrate might have learned that they had fallen into
+Puymirol's hands, and have decided to institute a search for them. This
+thought worried George, for these letters were in his rooms, and if he
+entered the house to make any further inquiries he would certainly be
+putting his head into the lion's mouth, for the doorkeeper would hardly
+fail to inform the police of his arrival. In that case, what should he
+say and do to assist his friend? George did not understand Puymirol's
+situation, but he realised that an imprudent answer might ruin him. By
+keeping out of sight he would at least incur no danger of contradicting
+Puymirol's statements. He, Caumont, was as yet in no way connected with
+the affair, and in his absence no one would venture to break into his
+rooms to search for the letters, whereas, if he showed himself, he might
+be plied with questions to which he could only give unsatisfactory
+replies, and he might even finally be obliged to let the officials
+search his apartments. Worst of all, if he should be detained, Gabrielle
+would learn that her betrothed was mixed up in a most unfortunate
+affair, and the excursion to the Bois would have to be relinquished, and
+perhaps the marriage as well. So it was best not to interfere, at least,
+for the present.
+
+The brother and sister had remained in the middle of the street,
+watching the crowd with evident curiosity. "Well!" inquired the
+lieutenant, as soon as George resumed his place on Gabrielle's left,
+"what is going on?"
+
+"Nothing that can interest you in the least. The police have made a raid
+upon the apartments of some one in the house, it seems."
+
+"Indeed! Upon whose?"
+
+"I do not know. The only person that I am acquainted with in the house
+is Puymirol."
+
+"And it can not be his apartments they are searching."
+
+"Nor mine, as I am not there," responded George.
+
+"Where are your windows?" asked Gabrielle.
+
+"On the third floor, mademoiselle."
+
+"But, then, the police _are_ in your place, for, look, there is a
+commissary with his sash at that open window."
+
+"Oh! my rooms are to the right--on the same floor, it's true," said
+George, who, to his horror, had recognised the window, where the
+commissary stood, as that of Puymirol's bedroom.
+
+"Well, let us proceed, then," said Albert. "If we loiter in this way, we
+shall never reach our destination, and I am anxious to see the Bois at
+its best."
+
+This proposal was eminently satisfactory to George, who was anxious to
+get away from the spot as soon as possible. But all his enjoyment was
+spoiled. His cheerfulness had vanished; however, Gabrielle failed to
+notice the change, at least, for the time being, as at this moment
+Albert asked her: "Have you seen Roch since yesterday?"
+
+"No, and I am very much afraid that I shall not see much of him until
+after my marriage. Monsieur Rochas called this morning expressly to beg
+mamma not to receive our old friend any longer."
+
+"What business is it of his, pray? and what has he to say against
+Plancoët, whose little finger is worth more than Rochas's whole body?"
+
+"He pretends that our old friend is a dangerous character. To hear him,
+one would suppose that poor Roch had committed any number of
+crimes--Roch who would not harm a mouse, and who has sacrificed himself
+for others ever since he came into the world."
+
+"Well, no matter," rejoined Albert, "we shall soon be rid of Rochas and
+have Plancoët all to ourselves. Now, my children, we are upon the
+macadamized pavement, and we have plenty of room into the bargain, so
+suppose we trot a little."
+
+They trotted on along the boulevard and up the Champs Elysées without
+their progress being impeded. But in the Bois there were scores of
+riders of either sex and also a number of carriages. Albert began
+disdainfully criticising the horsemanship of those around him, and
+Gabrielle laughed heartily at his comments, and began to feel surprised
+that George remained so serious. Such was the throng that all along the
+Allée des Poteaux they were obliged to walk their horses, which was
+hardly to Albert's liking. "Come," said he, at last, "I've had enough of
+this. I don't care to stare for ever at all these fine ladies and
+swells. Suppose we make for the Allée de Longchamps, and have a canter
+there. Verdurette is becoming restive."
+
+The suggestion was adopted. They turned their horses' heads in the
+direction of the lake, but they had hardly proceeded a hundred yards
+when George saw his friend Charles Balmer approaching on a handsome
+thoroughbred. Balmer expressed his delight at the meeting by an
+expressive gesture, and, reining in his horse, he abruptly said to
+George: "My dear fellow, I must have a talk with you. It's serious.
+Apologize to your friends, and join me at the chalet at the end of the
+lake. I will wait for you there." And thereupon he rode off.
+
+"That gentleman is not very polite," exclaimed the lieutenant. "He
+certainly might have touched his hat to Gabrielle. What did he say to
+you?"
+
+Gabrielle, who had heard Balmer distinctly, looked at George
+inquisitively. She did not like to question him, but she awaited his
+answer with no little anxiety. George, who was greatly embarrassed,
+reluctantly replied:
+
+"He asked me to join him at the end of the lake; and I would much rather
+remain with you."
+
+"Is he a friend of yours?" inquired Gabrielle.
+
+"No, merely a club acquaintance."
+
+"But if what he wants to say to you is important, you might leave us,
+and join us by-and-by at the Porte Maillot," insisted Gabrielle. "Have
+you any idea what he wants to speak to you about?"
+
+"I have an idea, mademoiselle. He probably wants to give me some
+information in reference to Puymirol."
+
+"The friend whose absence has caused you so much uneasiness?"
+
+"Yes, mademoiselle. This gentleman is well acquainted with him; and I
+fancy he knows what has become of him."
+
+"You must go, then."
+
+"Leave you! Oh, no."
+
+"But you need not leave us for long, and who knows but what M. de
+Puymirol may need you. I should never forgive myself for detaining you
+if he required your assistance; and this gentleman has perhaps come for
+you at his request. Go at once, pray."
+
+George was greatly perplexed. The idea of leaving his betrothed so
+unceremoniously was most distasteful to him; but on the other hand, he
+suspected that Balmer had something pressing to communicate. Puymirol's
+safety was, perhaps, at stake, for since George had witnessed the raid
+upon the house in the Rue de Medicis, he felt almost certain that his
+friend had been arrested; now, Balmer, as he well knew, was on excellent
+terms with the investigating magistrate, and might speak a good word for
+Puymirol if he needed one. "You need not hesitate if the matter is of
+the slightest importance, my dear fellow," now exclaimed Albert, seeing
+his prospective brother-in-law's embarrassment. "I can see Gabrielle
+safely home, without your assistance, and as your conversation with this
+gentleman may be a lengthy one, we won't wait for you at the Porte
+Maillot. Vulcan, your steed, is quartered at Tattersall's, so just leave
+him there in charge of one of the ostlers on your way home."
+
+"And come and see us as soon as you can," added Gabrielle. "I am anxious
+to hear about your friend." Then to make George feel perfectly at ease,
+she touched her horse lightly with the whip and cantered away, closely
+followed by her brother.
+
+George decided not to follow them, but turned his horse's head in the
+direction which Balmer had taken. In a few moments he had reached the
+Chalet Café, in front of which sat Balmer, regaling himself with a glass
+of absinthe, and smoking a huge cigar. Springing to the ground, George
+intrusted his horse to an urchin, and seated himself beside Balmer, of
+whom, without the least ceremony, he inquired, "Why do you want to see
+me?"
+
+"Why?" was the reply. "You must surely have guessed that I want to talk
+to you about Puymirol. When did you see him last?"
+
+"On the day before yesterday, at the Palais de l'Industrie."
+
+"Have you any idea where he went afterwards?"
+
+"I think he went to Madame de Lescombat's; but he hasn't returned home
+since, and I feel very anxious about him."
+
+"He has had good reasons for not returning. You will recollect that on
+the day before yesterday, I told you that my friend Robergeot was in
+possession of a document which might assist him in discovering
+Dargental's murderer."
+
+"It seems to me that you did tell me something of the kind," said
+Caumont.
+
+"Well, the document in question was in reality a small memorandum-book.
+Dargental, as you know, was an inveterate gambler, but he was also a
+very methodical man, and so whenever he won or lost any money or made a
+purchase--such as a lottery ticket, he made a note of the number in this
+book. He carried several lottery tickets about with him in the
+pocket-book which the murderer stole from him, and this was recorded in
+his memorandum-book. So Robergeot said to himself: 'If by any
+extraordinary chance one of the tickets enumerated in this list should
+win a prize, the murderer will perhaps be foolish enough to claim the
+money.' Well, this is exactly what has happened. Ticket No. 115,815,
+which headed Dargental's list, won a prize of a hundred thousand francs
+at the last drawing of the lottery of the Decorative Art Society; so
+Robergeot immediately despatched a commissary of police and two
+detectives to the lottery office with orders to arrest the holder of the
+ticket, if he ventured to present himself. He did present himself
+yesterday morning--and in the person of our friend Adhémar de Puymirol."
+
+"Puymirol!" exclaimed George, "it's impossible!"
+
+"This much, at least, is certain: Puymirol has been in prison for nearly
+two days now."
+
+"And you haven't told your friend, the magistrate, that Puymirol could
+not possibly be Dargental's murderer? You know we were breakfasting with
+him at the very time when the crime was committed."
+
+"Robergeot knows that, but the fact that the missing tickets were in
+Puymirol's possession can not be disputed. This attempt at fraud on his
+part surprises you, I see, as much as it does me," continued Balmer;
+"but I account for it by the fact that Puymirol was most desperately
+hard up. He owed ten thousand francs at the club, to my certain
+knowledge, and hadn't a penny to meet his obligations with. He must have
+lost his senses in consequence, besides, he couldn't know that the
+authorities had a list of Dargental's tickets, and that the police were
+lying in wait for him at the lottery office. As regards that matter I
+can almost excuse him, for, after all, he injured no one as Dargental
+was dead; and a man whose past life has always been blameless may be
+forgiven for a momentary weakness. Indeed, if this were the only charge
+against him, the matter could be hushed up, but there is the murder--"
+
+"But no one can really believe him guilty of that. An incontestable
+_alibi_ can be established."
+
+"Yes; but it is also necessary to prove that Puymirol had no knowledge
+of the murder. Now, everything seems to indicate that he was aware of
+it. If not, how did he come into possession of that pocket-book
+containing the tickets?"
+
+An answer rose to George's lips. He merely had to relate the adventure
+on the Place du Carrousel to explain the mystery, but the fear of
+contradicting some of Puymirol's statements deterred him; besides, he
+did not care to tell the story to an erratic person like Balmer. He must
+relate it to the investigating magistrate if there were no other means
+of saving Puymirol. However, realizing that he, first of all, needed
+further information, he asked: "How does Puymirol explain the fact that
+these tickets were in his possession?"
+
+"He pretends that he found them in a cab."
+
+"Then he denies having seen anything of the pocket-book?"
+
+"Absolutely; he was searched and it wasn't found on his person; but the
+strangest thing about it all is that he says he found the tickets on the
+very day of Dargental's death, and in the cab that took him to the Lion
+d'Or. He did not notice the number of the vehicle, and he declares he
+was alone; but it seems to me that you both arrived at the restaurant at
+the same time."
+
+"It doesn't follow that I drove there with him," replied George,
+evasively.
+
+"You can tell that to Robergeot, for he will certainly question you. I
+am surprised that he has not sent for you before now. They are looking
+for the cab-driver, and will surely find him sooner or later. As for the
+pocket-book, Robergeot thought that Puymirol might have left it at home,
+so he ordered his rooms to be searched this morning. I am surprised that
+you are ignorant of that point, as you both reside in the same house."
+
+"I left home very early. But did the officers find anything suspicious?"
+
+"I don't know yet, but I shall soon; that is, if my friend Robergeot
+does not begin to distrust me now that things are looking so badly for
+Puymirol. He knows that we are both well acquainted with him, you
+especially, and between ourselves, I should not be surprised if your
+rooms were searched as well, for Robergeot may suspect Puymirol of
+having concealed the pocket-book there."
+
+"Not with my knowledge and consent," said George.
+
+"Oh! even if Puymirol were guilty, he wouldn't have made you his
+confidant, of course. Still, if I were in your place, I would find out
+what occurred in the Rue de Medicis at once, that is, unless you will
+come and lunch with me."
+
+"No, thank you," replied George. "I shall take your advice, and return
+home without delay; but I rely upon your assistance in getting Puymirol
+out of this scrape."
+
+"I will do what I can, but it won't be much I'm afraid; you, on the
+contrary, may perhaps be able to give evidence which will lead to his
+speedy release."
+
+"You can at least ask your friend, Monsieur Robergeot, to grant me
+permission to see Puymirol at the dépôt."
+
+"I will do so, of course; but I doubt if he will consent. But there is
+nothing to prevent you from calling on him in person if you like. He is
+at his office every afternoon."
+
+"Is the affair known at the club?"
+
+"Not in all its details, but a rumour of Puymirol's arrest has got
+about, and as his debts remain unpaid, you have no time to lose if you
+care to prevent a scandal. If you want to see me again I shall be at the
+club, between four and seven."
+
+Springing upon his horse, George then galloped off, leaving Balmer to
+finish his absinthe. Ten minutes later, he left his steed at
+Tattersall's, and jumping into a cab, ordered the jehu to drive him with
+all speed to the Rue de Medicis. He took the precaution to alight at
+some distance from his door, however, so as not to attract the attention
+of the police, if they should still be about, but he soon had the
+satisfaction of finding that the crowd had dispersed, and that the
+vehicles which had brought the officers were no longer there. On
+entering the house, he went straight to the doorkeeper, who on seeing
+him, exclaimed: "Ah, sir, what an unfortunate affair! You had no sooner
+gone out this morning than a magistrate, accompanied by a number of
+policemen, came here with Monsieur de Puymirol, who was under arrest."
+
+"Puymirol! arrested!" cried George, feigning surprise. "This is
+incredible! What charge can there be against him?"
+
+"I don't know, sir," replied the porter. "I tried to talk with the
+policemen who stood on guard in the street, but they wouldn't give me
+any information."
+
+"But why did they bring Puymirol here?"
+
+"So that he might be present when his apartments were searched, I
+suppose. They entered his rooms with him, and they rummaged about
+everywhere, even in the mattresses. I don't know what they were looking
+for, but I do know that they found nothing, and that they seemed
+terribly disappointed."
+
+"How did Puymirol look while they searched his place?"
+
+"He looked as if he were saying: 'Amuse yourself; break open the locks,
+and empty the drawers. You will only have your labour for your pains.'
+He scarcely deigned to give them an answer when they spoke to him."
+
+"He must be the victim of some mistake. He is quite incapable of any
+crime."
+
+"That is exactly what I said to the commissary of police, when he asked
+me for information about your friend."
+
+"Did he say anything about me?" inquired George, eagerly.
+
+"No; your name was not mentioned. He did not even seem to be aware of
+your existence. If I might venture to give you a little advice, sir, you
+had better not mix yourself up in this affair. Your friend will get out
+of the scrape without any assistance; and I have an idea that he prefers
+to do so; for if he had wanted your help, he would have inquired where
+you were, or have asked to see you."
+
+This was not a bad argument; at least, it furnished George with abundant
+food for reflection. On reaching his rooms, he found them exactly as he
+had left them. He hastened to the desk in which he had locked up the
+letters. They were still there, and in his perplexity his first idea was
+to annihilate them. Indeed, he actually lighted a candle with that
+object. On reflection, however, it occurred to him that although the
+discovery of these letters, if his--Caumont's--rooms were searched,
+might aggravate Puymirol's situation, they might also be the means of
+saving him, by forcing him to tell the truth, instead of maintaining a
+dangerous silence out of consideration for the Countess de Lescombat,
+whose reputation was hardly worth defending. Would it not be better to
+take them to the magistrate? But in that case, both Madame de Lescombat
+and Blanche Pornic would be mixed up in the affair; and although George
+cared but little as to what befell the countess, he could not forget
+that Albert, his prospective brother-in-law, was the actress's admirer,
+and that he would certainly take her defence. The young officer was
+indeed so impetuous that he might fight the police agents sent to arrest
+her, and get himself lodged in jail! And what a blow that would be for
+Gabrielle. At last in his perplexity, George thought of a plan which
+seemed tolerably feasible. He resolved to go and see Blanche Pornic. As
+Albert was to lunch with his mother and sister, there was no fear of
+meeting him in the Avenue de Messine. "I shall question her, and
+question her closely," said Caumont to himself. "It will depend entirely
+upon her answers whether I return her letter to her, or hand it over to
+the investigating magistrate. At all events I must see that official
+to-day. The straight road is always the shortest and safest." Thereupon
+putting the letters in his pocket, George started off upon his campaign.
+
+
+
+
+VII.
+
+
+Blanche Pornic occupied a handsome suite of rooms on the first floor of
+a stylish house in the Avenue de Messine, and when George arrived there
+he found her reclining upon a divan, studying a part in a new play in
+which she was shortly to perform. "So you have come to see me at last!"
+she exclaimed. "You have done wisely, for I had about made up my mind to
+pay you a visit, even at the risk of meeting your friend Puymirol, who
+can't bear the sight of me. Take a seat here, near me," she continued,
+"I have a host of things to tell you. I know now that the charming young
+girl, who engrossed your attention the other day at the horse-show, is
+Albert's sister, and I suppose she has introduced you to her brother."
+
+"Never mind all that," said George, somewhat harshly. "I have come to
+talk with you about Dargental's death. Do you know who is accused of the
+murder?"
+
+"His valet, I heard. But that's absurd unless, indeed, the fellow were
+in the pay of that Madame de Lescombat."
+
+"What! you think it was she who--"
+
+"I haven't the slightest doubt of it. I told you so the other day, you
+recollect?"
+
+"Upon what is this opinion based?"
+
+"Upon something I have seen, a letter of hers which Dargental himself
+showed me one day after a quarrel he had with this woman. I'm sure too
+that he kept it."
+
+"What were its contents?"
+
+"Oh! it alluded to a secret which she had confided to him. She had
+poisoned her husband, I fancy, and feared that Dargental would denounce
+her. It was only from fear that she consented to marry him, for though
+she was crazy about him at first, she finally hated him. And so to
+escape becoming his wife, she had him murdered, I'm sure of it."
+
+"By whom, pray?"
+
+"By some scoundrel who was no doubt instructed to secure the letter, as
+Dargental's pocket-book is missing."
+
+"Haven't you yourself ever written to Dargental?"
+
+"Oh! yes I have. A hundred times, as I have already told you. I even
+confessed to you that he had in his possession a letter which I had
+often begged him to return to me, and which he had promised to give me
+during the lunch at the Lion d'Or."
+
+"And did this note contain anything of a compromising nature?"
+
+"Decidedly. For I acknowledged in it that I had committed--well, a crime
+to do him a service."
+
+"And if this avowal should fall into the hands of an investigating
+magistrate, what then?"
+
+"He would naturally suppose that I instigated Dargental's murder. It
+might cause me a great deal of trouble, still I think I should succeed
+in proving my innocence. As for the matter to which I was stupid enough
+to allude in the letter, would you like to know what it was?" George had
+not expected to hear Blanche talk in this strain, but he was all ears.
+"I am not trying to make myself out any better than I really am," she
+continued, "and I frankly admit that I am capable of almost anything
+when I am in love with any one; but what I did was simply this. One day
+Dargental, whom I was then dreadfully in love with, came to me in a
+state of mind bordering on frenzy. He had just lost forty thousand
+francs, and he had not a penny left to meet his obligations. This meant
+expulsion from his club, and utter ruin, for he lived by play. At any
+other time, I would have given him a cheque upon my banker, as I had
+often done before, but this happened just after the crash of two years
+ago, when I feared that I myself was ruined, and a rascally picture
+dealer had just attached some twenty thousand francs I had in the bank.
+However, Dargental absolutely needed the money, and I did not know
+which way to turn. To be sure, I might have asked old Prince Sourine for
+it--he was an ardent admirer of mine, and worth his millions--but he was
+furiously angry with me because I had preferred Pierre to him. His
+signature was good for any amount, and I had numerous specimens of it in
+my desk, for he was in the habit of writing me the most grandiloquent
+epistles. Well, Dargental finally proposed that I should forge the
+prince's signature upon a note which he was sure of being able to
+discount with this indorsement."
+
+"And you consented?" asked George in amazement.
+
+"I would have done even worse, had he asked me. As it was, I forged the
+name of Alexis Ivanovitch, Prince Sourine, on the back of the note.
+Dargental obtained fifty thousand francs by it, and the money brought
+him good luck. He won immense sums at baccarat shortly afterwards, and
+was able to take up the note before it became due. But he did not return
+it to me. He probably wished to retain it as a weapon against me, in
+case I ever quarrelled with him. However, I finally discovered that he
+was playing me false with that Madame de Lescombat, so one morning I
+paid him a visit, and compelled him to burn the note in my presence. But
+I was fool enough at the time not to ask for the letter in which I had
+alluded to this affair. When I did remember it, I urged him to return it
+to me. Did he really intend to give it to me at the Lion d'Or as he
+promised? I doubt it. At all events, death prevented him from doing so,
+and I suppose it is locked up somewhere with that note he showed me from
+Madame de Lescombat, and it would not surprise me to hear that both of
+them had been found."
+
+"And what if Albert should hear this story?" asked George.
+
+"You surely do not think of telling him!" cried Blanche. "That _would_
+be mean. But now I understand. You have my letter, and you have come to
+sell it to me. How much do you want for it?"
+
+George started up, pale with anger. "Do you take me for Dargental?" he
+asked, sternly. "You have associated so much with scoundrels of his
+stamp, that you think all men are like him. I will convince you to the
+contrary, and you shall bitterly repent having insulted me in this
+manner."
+
+"Forgive me," replied Blanche. "I care so much for Albert that the fear
+of losing him upsets me completely. You mustn't tell him about my former
+infatuation for this unscrupulous man, and that I committed a forgery to
+save him. I confessed my crime, if crime it be, to you, because I
+trusted in your honour."
+
+"I did not ask you to do so," said George, quickly.
+
+"That is true. I was imprudent enough to accuse myself, still, I am sure
+that you won't betray my confidence. If you have my letter, take it to
+the investigating magistrate, if you like, but not one word to Albert,
+pray."
+
+"It will be my duty to enlighten him."
+
+"Because you expect to be his brother-in-law? Oh, don't deny it.
+Mademoiselle Verdon would not have walked about with you, without her
+mother, if the marriage was not decided upon. But is that any reason for
+blighting my hopes? I, also, might say things against you--tell Albert
+that your friend Puymirol isn't much better than Dargental, and that
+your intimacy with him has got you into no end of scrapes. But I have no
+idea of doing so. You have never injured me, why should I try to injure
+you?"
+
+"So be it," said George, who realised the danger of making an enemy of
+Mademoiselle Pornic; "I will be silent so far as Albert is concerned,
+but I must reserve my right to act, as I see fit, with other people."
+
+"In other words, you reserve the right to denounce me if you like. That
+amounts to the same thing. If I were arrested, even temporarily, Albert
+would be sure to hear of it. What object can you possibly have in
+ruining me?"
+
+"None, but I can not allow an innocent person to be condemned. The truth
+is, my friend Puymirol is accused of the crime, he is under arrest, and
+I can't abandon him."
+
+"No, certainly not, but it will be easy to prove his innocence, and I
+will help you. I will testify that he was lunching with us when
+Dargental was killed. The magistrate is aware of this, however, and I
+don't see how any suspicion can possibly attach to Puymirol. If there
+must be a victim, why don't you mention the Countess de Lescombat to the
+magistrate? She, alone, was interested in having Dargental put out of
+the way."
+
+These words had scarcely passed Blanche's lips, when her maid entered
+the room. "Excuse me, madame," she said, "but there is a lady here who
+insists upon seeing you--the Countess de Lescombat she calls herself."
+
+Blanche and George were both overcome with astonishment. The former
+hesitated. Her first impulse was to close her doors in the face of the
+woman whom she so bitterly hated, but she changed her mind. "Show her
+in," she cried to her maid, who instantly turned to obey the order.
+
+"I had better go," remarked George.
+
+"No, no," replied Blanche. "It is just because you are here that I
+consent to see her. I want you to hear what she says, for I am satisfied
+that she has come here about the letters. Go in there, and don't come
+out until I call you." As she spoke, she pushed George into an adjoining
+boudoir, the entrance of which was screened by a heavy hanging of silken
+fabric. George let her do so; the curtain fell; and he considered that
+he had a perfect right to remain thus concealed, and listen to the
+conversation which was now about to take place. It was, indeed, needful
+he should know what part these women had really played in an affair
+which was costing his friend Puymirol so dear. Presently he heard
+Blanche ask, in a soft voice: "To what am I indebted for the honour of
+your visit?"
+
+"Can't you guess?" replied Madame de Lescombat, in a quiet tone, at once
+steady and well modulated.
+
+"No," replied Blanche, curtly, "though I understand very well that your
+coming must be due to some pressing need of my assistance."
+
+"I require no one's assistance, I assure you. I have simply an
+explanation to ask of you."
+
+"It must be of a decidedly dangerous nature, for you to take the trouble
+to come here in person."
+
+"I am in the habit of attending personally to all matters of a personal
+nature."
+
+"You are quite right, madame. It is always dangerous to write."
+
+There was a pause, and the two rivals exchanged anything but friendly
+glances. Blanche had somewhat the advantage, however, for she was at
+home, and the countess, who had called, must speak the first. "We need
+not waste any more time on preliminaries," she said, quietly. "I came to
+speak of Pierre Dargental, I admit it. That man betrayed us both, and he
+has been justly punished. A man cannot trifle with a woman's honour
+during years with impunity. Chastisement comes sooner or later. Still, I
+foresee certain misfortunes which may result from his death."
+
+"I do not understand you," replied Blanche, coldly.
+
+"You think I came here as an enemy," resumed the countess. "What would
+you say if I told you that Dargental once boasted to me of possessing a
+letter from you, which he had only to show to have you sent before the
+assizes?"
+
+"The assizes!" repeated Blanche, scornfully. "Pierre made such a boast
+as that! If he had sent me there, he would have been obliged to
+accompany me."
+
+"He is beyond the reach of justice now, for he is dead," replied Madame
+de Lescombat, "but you are still alive."
+
+"This time, I understand. Why do you use all this circumlocution to tell
+me that he had the cowardice to show and give you the letter you speak
+of?"
+
+"And if that were true?"
+
+"I no more fear you than I feared him. He could not denounce me without
+ruining himself, for what I did was done to save him, and he alone
+profited by it. With you, madame, the case is very different. If you
+venture to send my letter to the public prosecutor I shall send him
+yours."
+
+"Mine!" exclaimed the countess.
+
+"Yes, madame, you cannot have forgotten that you once sent Pierre an
+impassioned missive in which you spoke of a terrible secret you had
+confided to him. You placed yourself at his mercy to prove your love."
+
+"And this letter is in your possession?"
+
+"Why shouldn't Pierre have taken the same precautions against you as he
+took against me? It was not so easy to subjugate me as you, however, for
+I was in a position to defend myself if he had ventured to attack me."
+
+"I also can defend myself," murmured Madame de Lescombat.
+
+"I hope you will not be reduced to that extremity. Now, let us speak
+plainly. You did not come here out of kindness of heart to offer to
+restore me my letter; but I will tell you why you did come. You knew
+that Pierre had your letter, and you anxiously asked yourself if he
+might not have entrusted it to me. Well, your ruse has proved
+successful. You know what to think now. What do you propose?"
+
+"I think we ought to come to an understanding."
+
+"I think so, too," replied Blanche. "We have nothing to gain by war, so
+let us conclude a treaty of peace. We can exchange letters. Give me
+mine, and I'll give you yours."
+
+"I haven't yours about me," murmured the countess, visibly embarrassed.
+
+"I am surprised that you left it at home. When a person goes to battle
+she ought not to forget her weapons."
+
+"I had no idea that our conversation would take such a turn."
+
+"Well, as soon as I saw you come in, I guessed the object of your visit;
+but, as you are not in a position to carry out your part of the compact,
+we had better let the subject drop."
+
+"You seem to have no confidence in me. Well, as you refuse to give me my
+letter until I have returned you yours, why not accompany me home? My
+carriage is at the door. Take my letter, and come with me. The exchange
+shall take place in my bedroom. Your letter is locked up in my desk
+there."
+
+"I am greatly obliged to you for your kind offer, but it is impossible
+for me to leave the house just now. I am expecting a visit."
+
+"Then name some hour at which it will suit you to come and I will remain
+at home."
+
+"I shall not be at liberty to-day or to-morrow either, and as your
+carriage is at the door, it would be better for you to go home and fetch
+the letter."
+
+"Confess that you refuse to accompany me, merely because you are
+afraid."
+
+"I do confess it," replied Blanche, calmly. "You have a crowd of
+servants who would not hesitate to take the letter from me by force if
+you ordered them to do so. To whom could I complain afterwards? The
+police would laugh in my face, if I ventured to demand redress. No, I
+shall not be foolish enough to place myself at your mercy."
+
+"Nor will I place myself at _your_ mercy."
+
+"The cases are not the same by any means. This house doesn't belong to
+me. I am not its only occupant, and my servants are worthy people who
+would not dare to lay violent hands upon you, a countess. A fine
+countess, indeed! Octavia Crochard, who used to perform at fairs! Ah! if
+that were all she ever did! I didn't poison my husband! I did not hire a
+rascal to murder my lover!"
+
+"What! you have the audacity to accuse me of Dargental's death?"
+
+"I do, and if you persist in holding your head so high, I shall go to
+the investigating magistrate and tell him so."
+
+"You would make a great mistake, my dear. The murderer has already been
+discovered--a Monsieur de Puymirol."
+
+"That is absurd! We all know that Puymirol is innocent. The police have
+made a mistake, that's all; and they would soon realise it if I told the
+magistrate your story. I should repeat to him the terms of your letter
+which Pierre showed to me, and which I know by heart. I would even
+repeat the terms of mine, and confess what I did for Dargental's sake.
+We should see, then, which of us was in the worst scrape. Take my
+advice, and don't try and put the blame on Puymirol. He has never been
+my lover, but he is the intimate friend of my lover's brother-in-law,
+and if you try to injure him, I swear that you shall repent of it,
+countess though you are."
+
+George listened to all this with great uneasiness. Madame de Lescombat
+had just revealed the fact that she was aware of Puymirol's arrest, and
+that she was inclined to cast upon him the suspicion which she feared
+might fall upon herself. He was grateful to Blanche for defending
+Adhémar, and felt a strong desire to interfere, and frighten the
+countess into strict neutrality. He had the means of doing so in his
+pocket, as he was the custodian of the letters about which the two
+rivals were taunting each other. Still he had a lingering fear, that, if
+he made use of these weapons, they might somehow be turned against
+Puymirol.
+
+"And now that I see your game," resumed Blanche to the countess, "I
+shall just prevent it. As soon as you leave the house you mean to go
+straight to the investigating magistrate and fill his ears with the
+vilest slander against Puymirol and against me. You shall do nothing of
+the kind. Before you leave this room you shall write the confession I
+mean to dictate to you."
+
+"You must be mad!" cried Madame de Lescombat.
+
+"I am nothing of the kind. I am in my own house, and if you refuse to
+obey me, I shall send word to the commissary of police, and inform him
+that two old friends of Dargental's have some important revelations to
+make to him about the murder on the Boulevard Haussmann. He will come
+and find you here. You may rest assured of that."
+
+"You wretch! do you mean to ruin me?" cried Madame de Lescombat, in
+consternation.
+
+"Oh! you are not quite so arrogant now. You are afraid of being sent to
+prison. Ah, well, just state in writing that you came here to entreat me
+to return you a letter which was written by you to Dargental, and which
+deeply compromised you."
+
+"No," said the countess, regaining courage. "I will not write a single
+line. Send for all the commissaries in Paris, and tell them whatever you
+please. No one will believe you."
+
+"You are very much mistaken. My assertions may not have much weight, but
+I will produce a witness to support them."
+
+"A witness! what do you mean?" exclaimed Madame de Lescombat, turning
+perceptibly paler.
+
+Blanche, instead of replying, hastened to the silken curtain, dashed it
+aside, caught hold of George by the arm, and dragged him into the
+presence of the now terrified visitor. George was greatly disturbed, for
+he had not expected this, and did not know what he should say to the
+countess. He must be careful, at any rate, for an imprudent word might
+ruin Puymirol. "Who are you, sir?" asked Madame de Lescombat, when she
+had partially recovered from her alarm.
+
+"I am Adhémar de Puymirol's most intimate friend, madame."
+
+"Then you are George Caumont. I have often heard you spoken of, but I
+never supposed that I should find you here, playing the part of a spy."
+
+"I am no spy, madame. It was against my will that I entered that
+boudoir, and that I listened to your conversation, but now I don't
+regret having listened."
+
+"You have the courage of your opinions, I see. Well, have the frankness
+to tell me what use you intend to make of the information you have thus
+obtained."
+
+"I shall govern my conduct by yours, madame," replied George, looking
+searchingly at the countess. "If you dare to accuse my friend of a crime
+he has not committed, I shall accuse you."
+
+"Oh! I merely mentioned that Monsieur de Puymirol had been arrested
+because I was told so; but as for bothering myself about his affairs, I
+take no interest in him whatever."
+
+"Then, why did you ask him to go and see you after the show at the
+Palais de l'Industrie? He went to your house, I know, and until I learn
+what passed between you two, I have a right to suppose that he has been
+compromised through your fault."
+
+"Suppose whatever you like, but allow me to leave this house, unless you
+mean to assist this person in detaining me here by force."
+
+"That is not my intention, but I think she does right to exact guarantee
+from you."
+
+"I have no idea of writing anything at her dictation, for I scorn her
+threats, and I defy you to go and tell a magistrate that you listened at
+the door, or to repeat the conversation you just heard. Assertions are
+not facts. As for that letter, if it were in mademoiselle's possession,
+she would have used it against me long ago. If she has it, let her show
+it. She boasted to several people about having it; but, plainly enough,
+it was mere brag."
+
+Madame de Lescombat's blow told this time; for Blanche was utterly
+unable to produce the famous letter. "I boasted about having seen it!"
+she replied. "Why, where can you have obtained your information? I have
+never mentioned your letter to anyone excepting Monsieur Caumont, here."
+
+"It was Monsieur de Puymirol who informed me," said the countess.
+
+"Puymirol!" exclaimed George. "That is false!"
+
+"You might be a trifle less rude, sir," responded Madame de Lescombat,
+coldly. "Your friend came to my house after the horse show. He alluded
+to his financial worries--which were no news to me, however--and spoke
+at some length of Pierre Dargental's tragic death. He gave me to
+understand that I might find myself seriously compromised, but that it
+was in his power to save me from any serious trouble. I had no fears of
+that, however, so I declined his offers, but his manner was so strange
+and his language so embarrassed, that it occurred to me, that he,
+himself, was afraid of being compromised, and that he was trying to make
+me share the responsibility of his own conduct. This explains why the
+news of his arrest did not surprise me very much." George hung his head,
+for he was afraid that this account of the interview might be true.
+"This is what I shall tell the magistrate, if he questions me,"
+concluded the countess, with an ironical glance at Blanche. "You, sir,
+and you, mademoiselle, are at liberty to make use of the weapons you
+pretend to hold. But your threats don't alarm me, for I know that you
+have no such weapons at all."
+
+"Are you sure of that?" retorted George. He had already forgotten all
+his prudent resolutions, and longed to speak his mind freely to this
+audacious creature. "Your language does not intimidate me, madame," he
+continued. "You deny that you ever wrote Dargental a letter that might
+ruin you. Well, I myself have seen that letter, and I am satisfied that
+if the magistrate saw it, he would immediately issue a warrant for your
+arrest."
+
+"Was it Monsieur de Puymirol that showed it to you?"
+
+"You have guessed correctly. It was Puymirol. In fact he and I found the
+pocket-book. Puymirol made a great mistake in trying to profit by one of
+the lottery tickets it contained, and he has been severely punished for
+doing so. As for myself, I have made no use of the letters as yet, but I
+shall, if you force me to do so."
+
+"The letters! There are several, then?"
+
+"There are three."
+
+"Is mine one of them?" asked Blanche, eagerly.
+
+"Yes," was the laconic reply.
+
+"Then, madame here told a falsehood when she said that she had it. I
+suspected as much," said the actress.
+
+"You also told an untruth," retorted the countess. "And this gentleman
+doubtless intends to exact hush-money from us."
+
+"I scorn to notice your insults," replied George. "I kept the letters,
+because I did not know what else to do with them. But now that my friend
+is compromised, I must take them to the investigating magistrate at
+once. I shall tell him the whole truth, and though he may blame me, the
+worst consequences will fall upon the persons who were so deeply
+interested in regaining possession of their letters. One of them, at
+least, hasn't shrunk from a crime to recover her property."
+
+"I'm not that one," said Blanche, "and you need no better proof of
+that, than my earnest approval of your plan, and my wish that you should
+see the magistrate as soon as possible."
+
+"Do as you please, sir," said the countess, with pretended indifference.
+"You mean to try and exculpate Monsieur de Puymirol and to inculpate me.
+I think, however, that you will only aggravate your friend's situation,
+for this story of the finding and keeping of the pocket-book does not
+redound to his credit or to yours. Besides, a magistrate won't accuse a
+person of my rank merely because a letter of hers is shown to him at the
+same time as letters from other women of greatly inferior position. If
+the magistrate suspects any one, it will be mademoiselle here, or else
+the writer of the third letter; that is, unless the three correspondents
+are only an invention--I shall only believe your story when I have proof
+of it."
+
+"I will furnish proof," cried George, yielding to a sudden impulse, and
+as he spoke he drew the letters from his pocket, and spread them out in
+his hand in the form of a fan. "Do you recognise yours?" he said to the
+countess.
+
+Madame de Lescombat turned pale, but made no reply. "I recognise mine,"
+answered Blanche, promptly. "It is the one on the right. Madame's is the
+one to the left. Dargental once showed it to me, and the handwriting is
+not of a kind that one is likely to forget."
+
+At this moment the door of the room opened and Albert Verdon swept in
+like a whirlwind. "George!" he exclaimed, in astonishment. "Well, well,
+I am delighted to see you! But what the deuce are you doing? Are you
+playing cards with Blanche?"
+
+At sight of a stranger, the countess lowered her veil, and turned
+towards the door. As she did so, Albert perceived her, and hastily
+doffing his hat, stammered: "Excuse me, madame. But I thought Blanche
+was alone with this gentleman, who is my friend, and who will soon be my
+brother-in-law."
+
+The countess gave him a keen glance and reflected: "So this young fellow
+is this girl's lover, and Caumont is about to marry his sister. I am
+saved. Caumont won't dare to hand the letters to a magistrate." Then,
+instead of replying to Albert's apology, she bowed to the entire
+company, and left the room. Blanche responded by a gesture that
+signified "Good riddance," while George remained so entirely taken by
+surprise, that he lacked the presence of mind to conceal the letters
+which the young officer had mistaken for playing-cards. "Well, well,"
+said Albert, "why do you all look so strange? Who was that lady dressed
+in black? You seemed to be acting a tragedy, together."
+
+"You are about right," said Blanche, gaily. "You have just seen the
+Countess de Lescombat."
+
+"The lady to whom you wished to send me as envoy extraordinary? And she
+has paid you a visit? Have you signed a treaty of peace?"
+
+"Oh, no; didn't you notice that she went off in a huff?"
+
+"That's true. She looked furious; but you spoke the other day of a
+letter she refused to return to you. Did she bring it back to you
+to-day?"
+
+"On the contrary, she came to ask me to return a letter of hers. But
+don't try to solve the mystery. You will not succeed."
+
+"But I must. If you won't tell me anything, I shall apply to George."
+
+"Oh! he's free to tell you what he likes," rejoined Blanche.
+
+George being thus referred to, felt that he could not remain silent, and
+so, with the best grace he could muster, he began: "You have a right to
+know the whole truth, my dear Albert. You recollect that I spoke to you
+yesterday, and again this morning, about my friend Puymirol, and the
+anxiety his prolonged absence caused me? Well, he has been arrested on
+the charge of murdering that Monsieur Dargental, who, as you already
+know, was formerly one of Blanche's admirers."
+
+"Indeed! arrested!" exclaimed Albert. "How can that be? How can
+suspicion have fallen on him?"
+
+"Listen to me," said George. "I will explain everything;" and thereupon
+he gave Albert a substantial account of all he knew; the dropping of the
+pocket-book into the cab; the lunch at the Lion d'Or; the finding of
+Dargental's dead body; Puymirol's determination to discover the writers
+of the letters contained in the pocket-book; his subsequent
+disappearance, his attempt to cash a winning lottery ticket, his arrest,
+and the search made in the Rue de Medicis. "It was very foolish on
+Puymirol's part," he added, "for him to conceive the idea of conducting
+an investigation instead of reporting the facts to the authorities; but
+it was in vain that I represented to him that he would place himself in
+a very dangerous position. He first went to the house of the Countess de
+Lescombat. Ah! I forgot to tell you that one of the letters found in the
+pocket-book had evidently come from her."
+
+"And was one of the others from Blanche?" asked Albert.
+
+"Yes," replied Mademoiselle Pornic, promptly, "and I will explain it
+after you have read it. Monsieur Caumont can show it to you."
+
+"Are the letters in your possession?" asked the young officer, looking
+searchingly at George.
+
+"I have had them for two days past. Puymirol, before calling upon the
+countess, intrusted them to my keeping, and I have not been able to
+return them, as I have not seen him since."
+
+"Read my letter," insisted Blanche.
+
+"Are you willing to show it to me?" inquired Albert.
+
+"Perfectly willing," replied George, "and the two others also. Besides,
+I want your advice in this matter; but it must be given with a full
+knowledge of all the circumstances. Here are the letters," he added
+holding them out. "Begin with Mademoiselle Pornic's. The top one won't
+be interesting to you, as we have no clue to the writer."
+
+"It is very strange," exclaimed the officer, "but I am almost sure that
+I recognise the handwriting." And at the same time he turned very pale.
+George looked at him in surprise, and was suddenly seized with the idea
+that the third missive must have been written by some one closely
+connected with his future brother-in-law. Accordingly he hastily slipped
+it between the others, and lowered his hand. He had not been mistaken,
+for Albert, in a voice husky with emotion, resumed: "I am wrong of
+course, but give me the letter. I should like to examine it more
+closely. Why do you hesitate? You must know who wrote it?"
+
+"No! I swear I don't."
+
+"Then show it to me. I have good eyes, and I saw it only too well. I
+can't remain in this cruel suspense. Give me the letter, I tell you."
+
+George turned pale in his turn. He felt that matters were becoming
+serious, and he asked himself anxiously how he could get out of the
+scrape. "My dear Albert," he said, with an evident effort, "you must see
+that you are placing me in a very embarrassing position. Give me, at
+least, an explanation that will relieve me of any responsibility.
+Convince me that you have some serious reason for reading that letter."
+
+"It is so serious that if you refuse to give it me, I will have no
+further connection with you."
+
+"But whom do you suppose the writer to be?"
+
+"I won't answer you--I can't."
+
+"Then you must excuse me from yielding to a whim which you don't even
+take the trouble to justify. You threaten to withdraw your friendship,
+well, I appeal to your reason. If need be, I will leave the matter to
+umpires of your own selection."
+
+"I cannot explain here."
+
+"That means you distrust me," exclaimed Blanche. "Ah, well, my friend,
+don't let me stand in your way. I will leave you alone with Monsieur
+Caumont, and you can talk without fear of being overheard. There is no
+one in the adjoining boudoir, and I will go to my dressing room, at the
+other end of the flat."
+
+George and the young lieutenant were left standing face to face, equally
+agitated and embarrassed. "You promised to show me that letter if I
+would name the writer," finally said the officer in a hoarse voice.
+
+"But how can you do that? You scarcely saw the letter, and all feminine
+handwriting is more or less alike."
+
+"This is so familiar, that I cannot possibly be mistaken. It is as well
+known to me as my sister's."
+
+"Pray don't speak of your sister in connection with this matter," said
+George entreatingly.
+
+"Would you rather I spoke of my mother?"
+
+"Your mother! What do you mean?"
+
+"She wrote that letter. I am certain of it."
+
+"Impossible! You must be mistaken."
+
+"I should recognise the hand among a thousand."
+
+"You forget that the writer of this missive instigated Dargental's
+murder," insisted George, imprudently, "for it seems almost certain that
+she was the guilty party, since it was neither Blanche nor the Countess
+de Lescombat; and how can you think Madame Verdon capable of such a
+crime? You never met Dargental. You never even heard of him prior to
+your arrival in Paris."
+
+"I have not lived with my mother since I was a child."
+
+"But your sister has never left her, and she only heard of Dargental
+through the papers. Your mother obtained her information about his death
+from the same source, and it did not affect her in the least."
+
+"How do you know?"
+
+"We at least know that Madame Verdon is preparing for her approaching
+marriage. Besides, where could she have found a scoundrel willing to
+risk his life for her sake, in order to kill Dargental?"
+
+"Rochas is capable of any crime," said Albert. George hung his head. He
+had not been prepared for this reply, and he felt the horror of the
+situation more keenly than ever. "I am grateful to you for defending
+her," continued the young officer, gravely, "but I entreat you not to
+leave me in this cruel uncertainty. Show me the letter."
+
+"If it comes from her, what shall you do?"
+
+"I don't know; but one thing is certain, my sister must know nothing of
+this."
+
+"You can depend upon my silence. But really I cannot allow you to read
+the letter."
+
+"So be it," said Albert, with an evident effort. "I shall be satisfied
+if you will merely show it to me. A single glance will suffice to dispel
+my doubts. That is enough," he said, bitterly, as George held it out for
+his inspection, with a trembling hand. "I can no longer doubt."
+
+"Let me burn it here and now," pleaded George.
+
+"Why burn it? On the contrary, you must keep it. It will help you in
+proving that your friend is innocent."
+
+"Can you suppose I would show it to the investigating magistrate? I
+bless the chance that brought you here. But for this conversation with
+you, I should have handed this correspondence to the magistrate in the
+hope of saving my friend. Now, I would rather die than show him these
+letters. If you insist upon my keeping them, instead of destroying them,
+I will submit to your decision; but I fear that they may be taken from
+me. The search in Puymirol's apartments may be repeated to-morrow, and
+this time perhaps in my rooms as well."
+
+"You are right; but I am anxious that you should remain armed. Intrust
+these letters to some one."
+
+"To whom could I safely intrust them?"
+
+"Place them in an envelope, seal it securely, and intrust the packet to
+a man who would rather let himself be hacked to pieces than give it up,
+or even open it--in short, give it to Roch Plancoët."
+
+"I scarcely know him."
+
+"But I know him, and I will send him to you."
+
+"I will do as you wish, but--"
+
+"My decision is formed. My mother must leave France immediately, never
+to return. I will see that she does so, and I will make Gabrielle
+understand that from this day forth, she and I no longer have a mother.
+You must devote yourself to your friend. Save him, if you can, and when
+he is at liberty, advise him, also, to disappear. If he should be
+obliged to speak of the letters in order to get himself out of the
+scrape, he can only denounce Blanche and the countess as he does not
+know the writer of the other letter. If the magistrate questions you,
+tell him you have burned them all. Now go. I must invent some story to
+prevent Blanche from guessing the truth. You may expect a visit from me
+to-morrow morning. I shall have something fresh to tell you then."
+
+George, overcome with emotion, made no response, but staggered out of
+the house like a drunken man.
+
+
+
+
+VIII.
+
+
+Roch Plancoët lived in some modest rooms at the corner of the Rue Royer
+Collard, but a few steps from the house occupied by Madame Verdon and
+her daughter. He might have chosen more expensive quarters, for he
+possessed a small fortune, honestly and laboriously acquired during his
+long service as superintendent of the Verdon ironworks. But Roch was a
+philosopher who scorned luxury and adored solitude. He led a quiet life,
+and he devoted his time and attention almost exclusively to his friends,
+Gabrielle and Albert--the children of his foster-brother and benefactor.
+Gabrielle especially was the object of his almost fatherly solicitude.
+He visited her every day, and her portrait hung in his sitting-room.
+With her mother, strange to say, he was always very reserved, though he
+willingly served her when she asked him to do so, which seldom happened,
+however. The only favour he had ever asked of her, was permission to see
+her daughter every day, and she had never dared to refuse that, perhaps
+because she feared him. Roch had held the position of superintendent at
+the ironworks when she married M. Verdon; and he was too well acquainted
+with all the incidents of her life, for her to quarrel with him. When
+she had informed him of her intention to marry M. Rochas, he had replied
+that she was perfectly free to contract a second marriage if she
+pleased, and that if she wished to leave her children he would take
+charge of them. Then, however, had come the announcement of Gabrielle's
+engagement to George Caumont. George had had the rare good fortune to
+please Plancoët, and that was a good deal, for the old fellow was very
+hard to please as far as his favourite's suitors were concerned.
+However, although Roch had abundant cause for rejoicing at this good
+news, at least apparently, he returned home thoughtful and preoccupied,
+and for twenty-four hours merely set foot out of doors to take his meals
+at a neighbouring restaurant. On the following afternoon, while he was
+sitting at his window smoking a pipe, Albert Verdon rang at the door.
+The young officer seemed to be in a state of great excitement, and Roch
+anxiously asked him: "What is the matter?"
+
+"Ah! my poor friend, you are the only person to whom I can tell the
+truth," replied Albert. "You know all about my mother's conduct. Well, I
+have just seen a letter written by her to a lover--"
+
+"To Rochas?" asked Plancoët, eagerly.
+
+"No, no--to that man Dargental whom I spoke to you about, and who was
+killed in his rooms a fortnight ago." On hearing this Plancoët staggered
+back to the-wall. "Yes," resumed Albert fiercely, "to a scamp who traded
+on women! A professional black mailer! Ah! the truth is so horrible that
+on making this discovery I at first thought of flinging myself into the
+Seine."
+
+"You haven't seen your mother since?" asked Plancoët.
+
+"No, I lacked the courage; I wanted to ask your advice. Come, tell me,
+did you ever know that my mother carried on an intrigue with that man
+Dargental?"
+
+"I know all that your mother has done since she became a widow," replied
+Plancoët, gravely, and then after a little pressing from Albert he
+proceeded to tell the poor fellow the story of Madame Verdon's
+profligacy. She had been Dargental's mistress for a time, but he had
+deserted her for Madame de Lescombat whom he hoped to marry, not,
+however, without having extorted large sums of money from her, by
+threatening her with the publication of her correspondence. In fact,
+only shortly before his death, he had threatened to send her letters to
+Gabrielle.
+
+Albert was crushed by the sad narrative. At last, however, he mustered
+strength enough to inform Plancoët of Puymirol's arrest, of the scene at
+Blanche's house, and the attendant discovery, and of Caumont's present
+willingness to confide the letters to his keeping. "You must take them,"
+said the young fellow, "and go and see my mother--force her to leave
+Paris in three days' time, and make her promise to marry M. Rochas
+abroad, without delay. If she refuses, you may tell her that she will
+certainly be implicated in the murder of M. Dargental."
+
+"And if she consents?"
+
+"Then you can burn the letters or keep them as you like. But come now,
+George is waiting for us to hand you the notes."
+
+Roch's face had abruptly assumed an expression of resolution. He did not
+raise any objection but quietly followed Albert to the Luxembourg
+Gardens where Caumont indeed was waiting. "My dear fellow," said young
+Verdon to his future brother-in-law, without more ado, "we are all of
+the same mind. You know my intentions, and my old friend Roch will see
+that they are carried out. Will you therefore give him the envelope
+containing the letters?"
+
+George handed it to Plancoët, who accepted the trust without hesitation.
+"Are they all here?" he inquired.
+
+"Yes, all three of them," replied the lieutenant. "Break the seal and
+see for yourself, if you like."
+
+"That is unnecessary; your word is sufficient. But I should be greatly
+obliged to Monsieur Caumont if he would tell me how his friend Monsieur
+de Puymirol is getting on."
+
+"His situation remains unchanged. He has been subjected to repeated
+examinations, but the magistrate has so far come to no decision."
+
+"And your friend has said nothing about the letters?" inquired Plancoët.
+
+"No; and yet, I fancy they would be the only means of saving him."
+
+"Then why doesn't he mention them?"
+
+"Probably because he doesn't wish to compromise the Countess de
+Lescombat. Perhaps, also, he doesn't want to mix me up in this
+unfortunate affair. If he spoke of the letters the magistrate would
+instantly suspect that he had intrusted them to me."
+
+"And do you think that he will remain silent until the end?--that he
+will let himself be sent before the assizes rather than speak out."
+
+"I feel sure of it. He has many faults, but nothing can subjugate or
+intimidate him. I know him so well that yesterday I made up my mind to
+interfere and extricate him from his predicament despite himself; but
+now I can do nothing for fear of involving Albert's mother in the
+scandal. He is lost!"
+
+Plancoët, visibly agitated, dropped his eyes. "I feel sure that although
+Madame Verdon may be very guilty she did not instigate Dargental's
+murder," he said after a short silence.
+
+"Then who could have instigated it--Rochas?"
+
+"I think not. He would not imperil his life to save a woman's honour.
+But Albert has told you, I suppose, what he wishes me to do?"
+
+"Yes, sir, and I thoroughly approve of his decision."
+
+"And you are still determined to marry Mademoiselle Verdon?"
+
+"More determined than ever, if she will have me."
+
+"But you are aware that two other persons know that the pocket-book has
+been found, and are acquainted with the contents of the letters
+intrusted to you by your friend."
+
+"Blanche Pornic will be silent. I can vouch for her," interrupted the
+young officer. "And Madame de Lescombat also realizes that it is to her
+interest to do the same."
+
+"I can proceed to act, then," muttered Plancoët, as if talking to
+himself.
+
+"I trust you will do so without delay," replied Albert. "My mother is
+now at home and so is Gabrielle, but you can say that you wish to see my
+mother alone."
+
+"If you have an opportunity of exchanging a few words in private with
+Mademoiselle Verdon, pray tell her that my feelings are unchanged," said
+George to Plancoët.
+
+"I will readily promise you that; and now, as you are acquainted with
+the habits of the investigating magistrate, will you tell me at what
+hour I should be likely to find him in his office?"
+
+"Oh! my friend Balmer assured me that he would be in his office all
+day."
+
+"But why do you wish to know that?" interrupted the lieutenant. "I
+suppose you have no idea of requesting him to release Puymirol?"
+
+"Certainly not," stammered Plancoët.
+
+"Then hasten to my mother's without delay. Now's your time, but when and
+where shall we see you again?"
+
+"I am afraid the interview will prove a lengthy one."
+
+"Ah, well, George and I will return here at five o'clock. So good-bye
+for the present, old friend."
+
+"Farewell," replied Plancoët, pressing the hands the two young men held
+out to him.
+
+With his head bowed down, the old overseer walked slowly towards Madame
+Verdon's abode. Gabrielle was upon the balcony, and on seeing him she
+hastened to the door and let him in. "What is happening?" she asked
+anxiously. "Just now I received a letter from Albert who tells me he
+shall come and fetch me at nine o'clock to-night to take me to his
+colonel's sister, in the Rue de Tournon, for he won't let me stay here
+any longer."
+
+"Listen, my poor girl," replied Roch, "you must do as your brother
+asks--besides, it is absolutely necessary, for your mother will leave
+Paris to-morrow."
+
+"To-morrow! but why? That's strange, she surely does not intend to
+abscond like a criminal?"
+
+"Some transgressions have the same consequence as crimes," said Roch
+sadly; "believe me--don't try to guess the truth but believe me when I
+tell you that you must not remain another day under your mother's roof.
+I swear it by your poor father's memory, by your brother's honour and my
+own--"
+
+Gabrielle was beginning to understand and tears gathered in her eyes.
+"Ah!" she murmured in a tone of deep grief.
+
+"But Albert and your future husband will some day tell you more.
+However, is your mother at home?"
+
+"Yes, in her boudoir."
+
+"Well, I wish to see her and am going there. But before we part let me
+kiss you and promise me that you will be brave." Then having pressed the
+poor girl to his heart and imprinted a paternal kiss on her brow he
+proceeded to Madame Verdon's boudoir.
+
+His interview with the guilty mother was a stormy one--but finally he
+wrung from her an unwilling compliance with Albert's wishes, and
+promised her that he would place her letter to Dargental in an envelope
+and deposit it with his notary, who would hand it to her in exchange for
+her written consent to Gabrielle's marriage with George Caumont. Then
+he hastily left the house, returned home, placed Blanche's and Madame de
+Lescombat's notes in one envelope addressed to George, and Madame
+Verdon's in another, and after writing some instructions for his notary,
+he forthwith repaired to the latter's office. When he left it he paused
+for an instant, but instead of returning to the Luxembourg to acquaint
+his young friends with the success of his mission, he finally crossed
+the Pont St. Michel and proceeded towards the Palais de Justice.
+
+
+
+
+IX.
+
+
+While his friend was trying to save him, Adhémar de Puymirol was in a
+cell at the prefecture dépôt. It was the third day of his imprisonment,
+and he was pacing, savagely, up and down, like a captive lion in his
+cage, when suddenly he heard a jailer unbolt the door, and for a moment
+he deluded himself with the belief that the moment of his release had
+arrived. All prisoners are subject to these fits of hopefulness.
+However, this one was of short duration.
+
+"I am ordered to conduct you to the magistrate's office," announced the
+jailer.
+
+"What for?" replied Puymirol, "I won't answer his questions, so it is
+not worth while disturbing me."
+
+"It will be the last time. You came here on the 26th. To-day's the 29th,
+and no one stays here more than three days."
+
+This reply calmed Puymirol. It did not seem to him at all improbable
+that his case would end favourably, at all events, he would soon know
+his fate, so he silently followed the warder through the corridors, and
+up the staircase to M. Robergeot's office. Charles Balmer's friend was
+still in the prime of life, and had a prepossessing face. He motioned
+Puymirol to a chair, and the prisoner, as he sat down, curtly exclaimed:
+"I hope you will put an end to all this, sir."
+
+"It is with that intention that I sent for you," replied the magistrate,
+"though I might have spared myself the trouble, as you have so far
+refused to furnish any of the information asked of you; still, I felt it
+my duty to give you one more chance to tell the truth."
+
+"I have told you all I am going to tell you."
+
+"You have told me nothing. You have even tried to retract the testimony
+you gave to the commissary of police at the Palais de l'Industrie. You
+have adopted a most deplorable course. I say nothing about the fact that
+you presented a lottery ticket that did not belong to you. That is a
+trifling offence in comparison with the crime of murder, followed by
+robbery, with which you are charged. It is true I am perfectly satisfied
+that you did not fire the bullet that killed Dargental, for I admit that
+an _alibi_ has been conclusively established, but this does not prove
+that you don't know the murderer, and that the crime was not committed
+in your interest, or in the interest of some person connected with
+you."
+
+"How can you expect me to prove the injustice of your suspicions? I was
+well acquainted with Dargental, it is true, but though he may have had
+enemies, I know nothing about them."
+
+"Well, let me refresh your memory on another point of the case. We have
+succeeded in finding the cabman who took you to the Lion d'Or, and his
+testimony proves that you were not alone in his cab in which you claim
+to have found the lottery tickets. Why did you tell the commissary the
+contrary?"
+
+"You would have done the same, had you been in my place. I do not wish
+to subject an innocent person to the same annoyance and discomfort as
+myself."
+
+"But this person's testimony might be of great service to you. Besides,
+we shall soon ascertain who your companion was. The cabman already
+declares that on the day of the murder, and between the hours of
+half-past eleven and half-past twelve o'clock, he drove two young
+gentlemen from the Rue de Medicis to the Lion d'Or, and that he had no
+other fares that morning. He also declares that before leaving the
+stable that day he had carefully examined the interior of his vehicle,
+and had not found in it any papers left there by any former passenger.
+He also declares that nothing extraordinary occurred during the drive
+referred to."
+
+"We are revolving in the same circle, it seems to me," interrupted
+Puymirol, "and if you have nothing fresh to tell me--"
+
+"This cabman also declares that a few days after the crime a man who had
+taken the number of his vehicle came to his residence, which he had
+ascertained at the company's office, and after giving him twenty francs,
+questioned him at length about this drive on the 9th of April. The
+cabman could only tell him what he just told me, viz., that his two
+passengers alighted at the Lion d'Or in the Rue du Helder. Now, can you
+tell me why this person inquired after you?"
+
+"No, I can't. Look him up yourself, and ask him the question."
+
+"We _are_ looking for him, but though we have not yet succeeded in
+finding him, I know what he did after his interview with the cabman. I
+have questioned the employés of the restaurant, among them the
+door-porter, who tells me that this same man offered him a liberal
+reward if he would point out either of the two young fellows who
+breakfasted there in a private room on the morning of April 9th. The
+porter, who did not know your name, though he knew you very well by
+sight, promised to do what this person asked, and the latter waited for
+nearly three weeks, watching for you. You did not show yourself,
+however, until quite recently; in fact, not until the day previous to
+your arrest. Then this stranger followed you into the restaurant, and
+had a long conversation with you, after which you both left the
+restaurant, though not together. Still, the porter noticed that you
+followed this stranger up the Boulevard Haussmann. Now, what have you to
+say to this story? Do you admit that it is true?"
+
+"By no means, but even if I did, what conclusions would you draw from
+such an admission on my part?" asked Puymirol.
+
+"That this man was your accomplice; that he was the murderer of
+Dargental, and that he was trying to communicate with you in reference
+to a crime which he had committed at your instigation."
+
+"You are going too far, it seems to me. You forget that if this person
+had acted by my orders he would necessarily have known who I was, and
+where I lived, and would not have applied to the doorkeeper of a
+restaurant for information about me."
+
+"You doubtless had your reasons for concealing your name and address.
+When a man hires a scoundrel to commit a murder, he is usually anxious
+to keep his identity secret. However, there is a very easy way for you
+to prove that I am mistaken. That is, to tell me what this man wanted of
+you, what he said to you at the Lion d'Or, and where you went with him
+after dinner." This argument was irrefutable, and Puymirol realised it.
+
+"In short," continued the magistrate, "if you will only tell the truth,
+I can almost promise that you would escape indictment."
+
+Puymirol's eyes flashed. He espied liberty before him--the effacement of
+his fault, a bright future; but his face suddenly clouded, his features
+contracted, and he said, with a scornful gesture: "Bah! your clemency
+could not restore me what I have lost. A man who has spent three days in
+prison is dishonoured for life. Besides, I haven't a penny, and the only
+future in store for me is starvation."
+
+"I can prove to you that you have nothing of the kind to fear. You come
+from Périgord, don't you, and your relatives reside there?"
+
+"My only remaining relative is an aunt who allows me two thousand francs
+a year; my father left me nothing but debts."
+
+"Which were long since paid by your aunt, Madame Bessèges, who resides
+at Montpazier, in the department of the Dordogne."
+
+"How do you know that?"
+
+"I have naturally made inquiries about you, and have learned that you
+belong to an old and highly respected family."
+
+"Oh! We have been ruined for centuries."
+
+"Your aunt made a wealthy marriage, however, and she inherited all her
+husband's property."
+
+"Yes, but I sha'n't inherit her fortune."
+
+"You have done so already. She died three days ago, after appointing you
+her sole legatee; and you consequently possess an income of eighty
+thousand francs. Oh! don't think I am jesting! Since your arrest, all
+letters addressed to you have been seized at the post-office. This was
+done by my orders. I hoped that in your correspondence I might find some
+clue to this mystery, but I was disappointed in that respect. This
+morning, however, there came a letter from a notary at Montpazier,
+announcing your aunt's sudden death, and inclosing a certified copy of
+her will. The document will be given to you as soon as you are set at
+liberty."
+
+"Then you intend to set me at liberty?"
+
+"That depends entirely upon yourself. The affair of the lottery ticket,
+and that of the murder, are closely connected, though one is of great,
+and the other of trifling importance. If you persist in remaining
+silent, I shall be compelled to believe that you are the culprit, in
+both cases, for you would not refuse to explain matters if you were
+merely guilty of a trifling misdemeanour. If you are innocent of the
+capital charge, you have only to tell me the truth about the finding of
+the lottery tickets, and I will release you." Puymirol, deeply moved,
+evidently hesitated. "Pray, recollect," continued the magistrate, "that
+I shall eventually succeed in solving the mystery without your
+assistance, so spare me the pain of sending you to Mazas. You are now
+rich, and public feeling is always very lenient towards the wealthy.
+Your mishap will soon be forgotten, and your life will become a pleasant
+one. But, perhaps, you prefer the Assizes? Choose."
+
+Puymirol's choice was already made. Whilst poor, he had been reticent to
+the verge of heroism. He had not thought it worth his while to purchase
+freedom by a confession, merely to drag out a miserable existence. He
+preferred to take his chances of conviction, and profit by his silence
+afterwards, for he felt sure that the Countess de Lescombat would not
+fail to reward him eventually. However, he now viewed his situation
+under an entirely different light. To re-enter the gay world of Paris,
+which so quickly forgets misdemeanours; to begin life again with plenty
+of money, that made it well worth his while to yield to the magistrate's
+entreaties. Besides, as he was well aware, this magistrate already
+suspected the truth, which truth was likely to come to light at any
+moment. He had only to question George Caumont, and the latter would
+probably tell all he knew, reticent as he had been at first. Puymirol
+reasoned thus, being entirely ignorant of all that had occurred since
+his arrest. He did not suspect that George was far more deeply
+interested than himself in concealing the truth about the letters, since
+one of them, and the only one to which Puymirol attached no importance,
+had been written by Gabrielle's mother. Being ignorant of this fact,
+Adhémar naturally supposed that he might venture to confess the truth,
+without injuring his friend, who felt very little interest in Blanche
+Pornic, and still less in the Countess de Lescombat. "Well, sir," he
+began, "I am deeply touched by the kindness and consideration with which
+you have treated me, and I should be ungrateful, indeed, if I longer
+resisted your entreaties. I will therefore confess that I know
+Dargental's murderer."
+
+"At last!" exclaimed M. Robergeot, with a meaning glance at his clerk
+who had been sitting hard by, idly twirling his pen.
+
+Puymirol then duly acquainted the magistrate with the precise
+circumstances of the finding of the pocket-book in the cab, on the way
+to the Lion d'Or, and this point being disposed of he continued: "I am
+now coming to the most important incident of my story. On the day
+preceding my arrest, I dined at the Lion d'Or, and had scarcely begun
+my dinner when I noticed that a gentleman who had taken a seat near me
+was staring at me with unusual persistency. This gentleman finally
+seated himself at my table, and then made some very strange disclosures.
+He began by admitting that he was the person who had thrown the
+pocket-book into the cab."
+
+"What was his object in telling you that, for he must have had an object
+in confessing that he had thrown his pocket-book away?"
+
+"He wished me to return it to him."
+
+"Did you comply with his request?"
+
+"No. I replied that I had left it at home, but that I would send it to
+him if he would give me his address. That he declined to do. He then
+begged of me to make an appointment to meet him somewhere. I refused,
+and asked him why he was so anxious to regain possession of an article
+that was not worth more than fifteen or twenty francs. He made some very
+poor excuse, and, to try him, I told him I had taken it to the
+commissary of police in the Chaussée d'Antin, whereupon he seemed
+greatly disturbed, and after mumbling out some unintelligible excuse, he
+left me."
+
+"Did you allow the matter to drop there?"
+
+"Wait a moment. I had a plan, and I proceeded to carry it into
+execution. I had the pocket-book about me at the time, and I have since
+thought that he must have seen the end of it projecting from my pocket.
+I did not suspect it then, however, and I took it into my head to find
+out who he was, for I was as anxious to discover Dargental's murderer as
+you can be. I thought that by following him at a little distance I
+should be able to find out where he lived. I adopted this course, and he
+let me follow him till we reached a lonely spot not far from the Avenue
+de Villiers; whereupon he turned to the right, into a little street I
+had never seen before. Here, I unconsciously ventured too near him, for
+he had concealed himself, and just as I least expected it, he seized me
+by the throat, throwing me to the ground, and nearly strangling me. When
+I regained consciousness, I perceived that he had taken the pocket-book
+from me, and that he was already almost out of sight."
+
+M. Robergeot listened very attentively to this narrative, and when
+Puymirol paused, he quietly remarked: "The lottery tickets went as well,
+I suppose?"
+
+"No," murmured Puymirol, slightly embarrassed. "I half suspected that
+the rascal intended to attack me, so I took the precaution to remove
+them from the pocket-book. I am sorry now that I did not leave them
+there, for in that case I should not have been tempted to use them,
+whereas, if he had yielded to the temptation, you would now have
+Dargental's real murderer in your power."
+
+"Can you describe this man?" asked M. Robergeot.
+
+"Certainly," replied Puymirol, delighted at this promising beginning.
+"He was about fifty years of age, and of medium height, though rather
+strongly built, with a dark complexion, rather keen eyes, and a very
+energetic face. There was nothing particularly striking about his
+appearance, but I should recognise him among a thousand."
+
+"Your description agrees with that given by the cabman. But how did this
+man act when you spoke to him about the murder?"
+
+"I did not speak to him on the subject," answered Puymirol, slightly
+disconcerted. "The fact is, I was afraid of arousing his suspicions. It
+was a part of my plan to let him do all the talking. I hoped he would
+betray himself."
+
+"But you must have asked him why he threw the pocket-book into your
+cab?"
+
+"Of course, and he replied that there were persons following him, and
+anxious to rob him, and that he could think of no other way of
+outwitting them."
+
+"The contents of this pocket-book must have been very valuable, judging
+by his anxiety to secure possession of it again."
+
+"Perhaps it had contained some bank-notes, but when it came into my
+hands there was nothing in it but the lottery tickets."
+
+"And it was to recover these lottery tickets that this fellow risked his
+head?--for he did risk it by entering into conversation with you in a
+public place, as you had only to denounce him to secure his arrest. In
+fact, it was your duty to have sent word to a commissary of police while
+the scoundrel was seated at your table. Come, sir, complete your
+confession. Confess that there were some letters in the
+pocket-book--compromising letters, no doubt."
+
+Puymirol turned pale, and hung his head. He saw that he was caught in
+his own trap. There was no course for him now but to make a clean breast
+of it. "You are right, sir," he said resolutely, "and I admit that I
+have done wrong in hiding that fact. There were some letters which I
+entrusted to my friend, Caumont; but I must add that he consented to
+accept the trust greatly against his will, and that, from the very
+first, he urged me to take the pocket-book and its contents to a
+commissary of police."
+
+"And you say he has these letters?"
+
+"Unless he has burned them, which is not unlikely. He is well acquainted
+with Balmer, and must have heard of my arrest, so that a fear of
+injuring me may have led him to destroy the notes."
+
+"It will be very unfortunate for you, and for him, if these letters have
+disappeared. Did you read them?"
+
+"Yes, and they were all written by women, former sweethearts of
+Dargental's, evidently. In fact, I feel almost positive that one of
+these women instigated the murder. However, these letters were none of
+them signed, so that the best means of getting at the truth would be to
+find the man who threw the pocket-book into our cab, and who afterwards
+succeeded in taking it from me. When he is once under arrest, it is
+probable that he will make a full confession, and name the woman who
+hired him to commit the crime, for it will be greatly to his interest to
+throw a part of the responsibility upon her."
+
+M. Robergeot was about to reply, but just then a clerk entered by a
+side-door, and approaching the magistrate, said a few words to him in a
+low tone. "Very well, show him in," was the response, and an instant
+afterwards the door opened for the second time, and George Caumont
+appeared. His manner was graver than usual; and it was very evident that
+he was trying hard to repress some strong emotion. He bowed politely to
+the magistrate, and then walked to Puymirol, with whom he shook hands.
+
+"I am very glad to see you," said Adhémar. "Your testimony will confirm
+the statements I have just made."
+
+"I will spare you the trouble of questioning this gentleman,"
+interrupted M. Robergeot, and turning to George, he said: "Take a
+chair."
+
+George silently obeyed, and waited. "Have you brought the letters?"
+asked the magistrate point blank.
+
+"What letters?" asked George, pretending not to understand.
+
+"The letters that were in the pocket-book."
+
+"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean."
+
+"Oh! your friend here intrusted them to your care."
+
+On hearing this, George, in surprise, glanced at Puymirol, who
+exclaimed: "You can speak. I have told everything."
+
+Caumont turned pale. He forgot that Puymirol did not know Madame Verdon,
+so that he could not have mentioned her as one of Dargental's
+correspondents. "It would ill become me to contradict a man I like and
+esteem," he said in a voice husky with emotion, "and nothing could have
+induced me to betray the secret he confided to me, but as he bids me
+speak, I admit that on the day I saw Monsieur de Puymirol for the last
+time, he intrusted a package of letters to my care, begging me to take
+charge of them until his return home. As he failed to make his
+appearance, I felt very anxious about him. However, Monsieur Balmer
+informed me that my missing friend was in prison. I also learned from
+the same source that his rooms had been searched; and as I was perfectly
+satisfied in my own mind that this search had been made for the express
+purpose of securing the letters in question, I thought it best to burn
+them."
+
+"Indeed! Ah! You have done very wrong;" exclaimed the magistrate. "By
+destroying those letters you have made yourself, in a measure, the
+accomplice of a murderer."
+
+Here Puymirol, thinking that George was getting them both into trouble,
+deemed it advisable to interfere. "Confess that you haven't burned
+them," he interposed, quickly. "You promised to keep them, and your word
+can be depended upon. You prevaricate from excess of delicacy, and
+because you are afraid of implicating some of Dargental's old flames.
+That is absurd. We should be simpletons to compromise ourselves on their
+account. I would give up the letters, if I had them, without the
+slightest compunction."
+
+George was suffering terribly. He was on the rack, and his friend seemed
+to be deserting him. Ah, how glad he would have been to throw the
+letters on the magistrate's desk, if one of them had not come from
+Madame Verdon. He now regretted that he had not kept the other two, or,
+at least, Madame de Lescombat's, for he hated her with all his heart. "I
+repeat that I have not got them," he said, gloomily.
+
+M. Robergeot was about to put an end to the discussion, when his
+messenger reappeared, this time with a note which the magistrate tore
+open carelessly, little suspecting its importance. But he had scarcely
+glanced at it, when his expression changed. "Who gave you this letter?"
+he inquired, eagerly.
+
+"A man who is waiting for an answer."
+
+"Very well; go and tell him that I will ring for him in a few moments.
+Until then, don't lose sight of him, and if he attempts to go away,
+detain him, by force if necessary, even if you have to call upon the
+guards for assistance." As soon as the messenger had left the room, M.
+Robergeot turned to the two young fellows and said: "To which of you am
+I indebted for this mystification? For it is the work of one of you, I
+feel certain." Then, seeing them look at each other in very natural
+astonishment: "These are the terms of the letter I have just received,"
+he continued. "'Pierre Dargental's murderer desires an immediate
+interview with the magistrate. He gives himself up, but he has some
+revelations to make before the magistrate signs the order for his
+detention.' Now, have you any knowledge of this strange culprit? Am I
+indebted to you for bringing him to light?"
+
+"What possible motive could we have had?" asked George.
+
+"Then you have no idea who he is?"
+
+"Not the slightest."
+
+"Well, I am now about to send for this man," resumed M. Robergeot,
+gravely. "Remain seated, and say nothing, whoever he may prove to be.
+You must not speak till I have finished."
+
+"Very well," replied Puymirol; "but you won't forbid me to look at him,
+and if it is my acquaintance of the restaurant, I will warn you by a
+sign. If I recognise him, I will raise my hand to my forehead."
+
+"So be it; but confine yourself to that. As for you, Monsieur Caumont, I
+give you permission to do the same, if you recognise this man as the
+person who threw the pocket-book into your cab on the Place du
+Carrousel."
+
+George remained silent. He had not yet admitted that he was in the cab
+at the time, and he did not deem it advisable to admit it now. M.
+Robergeot did not insist, however. He rang, and the stranger entered,
+closely followed by the messenger, and advanced towards the desk at
+which the magistrate was seated; but on perceiving the two friends, whom
+he had failed to notice at first, he turned pale, and stopped short.
+Puymirol found it very difficult to keep quiet, for he had recognised
+the mysterious stranger of the Lion d'Or at the very first glance. He
+restrained himself, however, and, without a word, passed his hand across
+his forehead. George Caumont, on his side, remained silent and
+motionless; but every vestige of colour had fled from his cheeks,
+leaving him even paler than the visitor who declared himself to be
+Dargental's murderer. "Come, sir," the magistrate said to the new comer,
+without inviting him to be seated, "I do not suppose that you came here
+to play a joke on me; but I can not help wondering if you are in your
+right mind. I warn you that I have no time to lose. So explain the
+meaning of the extraordinary letter I have just received from you. I
+should mention that these gentlemen are suspected of being accomplices
+in the crime of which you accuse yourself. I, therefore, that they
+should hear what you have to say."
+
+"They accomplices!" exclaimed the stranger. "I declare that they are
+both innocent. I had no accomplices."
+
+"Then you don't know either of these gentlemen?"
+
+However, instead of falling into the trap set for him, the new comer
+coolly replied: "I don't know their names, but I have seen them before.
+I have even had a long conversation with one of them. That one," he
+added, pointing to Puymirol.
+
+"Where, and under what circumstances?"
+
+"At the restaurant known as the Lion d'Or, which I entered for the
+express purpose of speaking to him."
+
+"That is perfectly true!" cried Puymirol, delighted to hear the culprit
+confirm the testimony he had given.
+
+"And where did you see that gentleman?" asked the magistrate, pointing
+to George Caumont.
+
+"I saw him but once in a cab on the Place du Carrousel."
+
+"Well, why was it that you killed Pierre Dargental, on the 9th of April
+last?"
+
+"Because he refused to surrender to me some letters which he intended to
+use against a woman."
+
+"But why did you interest yourself in her behalf?"
+
+"I was in love with her. She is a married woman, and Dargental
+threatened to denounce her to her husband, who would have killed her,
+had he seen those proofs of her infatuation."
+
+"So you became a murderer through love and devotion?" said M. Robergeot,
+ironically. "We will see by-and-by how the jury appreciate these
+extenuating circumstances. In the meantime, if you wish me to believe
+you, you must give me the name of this woman who was, of course, your
+accomplice."
+
+"No, sir; I acted entirely without her knowledge or consent. She is
+absolutely ignorant of what I have done."
+
+"Then you refuse to give me her name?"
+
+"Is it likely that I have risked my life, and surrender it to you, in
+view of betraying the woman I have sworn to save? Take my life; it is
+yours; but I shall carry my secret with me to the grave."
+
+George's face brightened, and Puymirol could not help showing his
+admiration for this heroism on the part of the man he had so bitterly
+anathematized. "You fancy that this secret will die with you," replied
+the magistrate; "but I think I shall succeed in discovering it. I
+believe I am already on the track." And then, gazing searchingly at the
+stranger, M. Robergeot said:
+
+"We will return to this subject presently. You must now give me the
+particulars of the murder."
+
+"It is for that purpose that I came here," replied the new comer,
+coldly. "I called on Dargental at about eleven o'clock, on the morning
+of April 9th. He admitted me himself, ushered me into the dining-room,
+and left me in order to enter his bed-chamber. He returned a moment
+afterwards with a pistol in his hand; and I had scarcely begun to
+explain the object of my visit, before he began to abuse me in the most
+insulting manner. He showered offensive epithets upon me, and uttered
+the most violent threats against the person whom I wished to place
+beyond the reach of his knavery. He declared that if she did not pay him
+the sum of two hundred thousand francs before two days had expired, he
+would send the letters she had been so imprudent as to write him, to her
+husband. He added that these letters were then in his pocket, ready to
+be produced at any moment. Frantic with rage, I sprang at his throat. He
+freed himself, and threatened me with his pistol; I tried to wrest it
+from him, but during the struggle, and at a moment when the barrel of
+the pistol was pointed at his breast, the weapon went off."
+
+"And the bullet pierced Dargental's heart? This was a most unlucky
+chance. You are remarkably clever. You almost convince me that you were
+acting only in self-defence, and that the crime you committed was simply
+justifiable homicide. Well, what after?"
+
+"I lifted the body, placed it in an arm-chair, searched all his pockets,
+found the note-case he always carried upon his person, opened it,
+satisfied myself that the letters were there, placed it in my pocket,
+and left the house without even taking the precaution to wash my
+blood-stained hands."
+
+"Which left stains upon the lottery tickets you had handled?"
+
+"That is true; I recollect now, that there were some lottery tickets in
+one of the compartments of the pocket-book."
+
+"Well, you have not told me all. What occurred afterwards?"
+
+"I left the house, fully intending to return home and burn the letters,
+after showing them to the writer, but, on the Boulevard Haussmann, I saw
+two men who pretended to be strolling along, looking into the shop
+windows, but whom I instantly recognised, in spite of their disguise, as
+two men of a detective agency, whom the lady's husband had hired to
+watch his wife. Dargental had sent him anonymous letters about her and
+me. They started after me, and at the corner of the Rue de Rivoli and
+the Rue des Pyramides one of them stopped to speak to a policeman, while
+the other continued to follow me. I watched the movements of the
+policeman out of the corner of my eye, and saw that he refused to
+interfere. The next one we met might prove less scrupulous, and I might
+be arrested and taken to the station-house, where I should certainly be
+searched, and the letters found upon me. I realized my danger, and felt
+that I had not a moment to lose in getting rid of the letters, so
+without stopping to reflect, I adopted the first plan that occurred to
+me. I was just passing one of the outlets of the Place du Carrousel.
+There was a long line of vehicles. The private detectives were following
+me at a little distance, talking together, probably making arrangements
+to pick a quarrel with me, in order to attract the attention of the
+police, who would take us to the station house. At all events their
+conversation was so animated that they forgot to watch my movements. In
+the last cab on the line I saw two gentlemen. The window was open, and I
+dropped the pocket-book inside, carefully noting the number of the
+vehicle as I did so. The two detectives gave me no further trouble,
+however, as no policeman would consent to lend them a helping hand,
+still they followed me to Montrouge. There is a house there with which I
+am familiar, and which has two outsets. I entered it, and made my escape
+by one door, while the two rascals were talking with the porter at the
+other."
+
+"Is this all you have to tell me?" inquired M. Robergeot.
+
+"Yes, sir," the man replied, coldly. "You now merely have to send me to
+prison."
+
+"Which I shall proceed to do so as soon as certain formalities are
+complied with. Your disclosures were so unexpected that I quite forgot
+to ask your name, profession, age and residence."
+
+"It is useless to ask me for information that I can not give."
+
+"And why not?"
+
+"Because I should betray a secret that is not my own. If I told you who
+I am, you would soon know the woman I wish to save."
+
+"You hope to die like Campi, who was executed without any one having
+been able to discover his real name. Your case does not resemble his in
+the least, however."
+
+"No, certainly not, and I shall die in an entirely different way, but I
+shall die unknown."
+
+This was said in a tone that made M. Robergeot wonder if he were not
+dealing with a madman. "But your deposition must be signed," said he.
+
+"Oh! I am quite ready to acknowledge in writing that I have told the
+truth, and that I have nothing to retract, but I shall sign the first
+name that occurs to me."
+
+The magistrate felt that it was time to put an end to this discussion.
+He knew that time and solitude overcome the most stubborn resistance;
+besides, the presence of the two friends was a constraint upon him. "So
+be it," said he. "I shall question you again, however, after you have
+had time for reflection. In the meantime, you can write your
+acknowledgment, after first reading the deposition you have just made."
+
+The stranger thereupon rose up, approached the clerk's table, took a
+pen, and then at the bottom of the last page of the report of his
+evidence he wrote these words: "I declare that I persist in my
+statements correctly recorded above: that I alone, and of my own free
+will, killed Pierre Dargental; that no one prompted me to commit the
+crime, and that no one knew I was the perpetrator of the murder, until I
+made the above confession in the presence of Monsieur Robergeot, and of
+two gentlemen unknown to me."
+
+He then handed the document to the magistrate, who, after glancing at
+it, said quietly: "Very well. You will now be taken to the dépôt."
+
+But all at once the man retreated to the wall, which was only three or
+four steps from him, put his hand in his overcoat pocket, and drew out a
+weapon that elicited an exclamation of dismay from the magistrate. This
+weapon was one of those old-fashioned horse pistols, rarely seen
+now-a-days, and before any one could reach the stranger, he had raised
+this fire-arm to his head and pulled the trigger. A loud explosion shook
+the walls; a cloud of smoke filled the office, and drops of warm blood
+spurted in Puymirol's face. The murderer was lying motionless at the
+foot of the wall--dead. The witnesses of this sudden suicide stood for a
+moment overcome with horror. The guard, who had escorted Puymirol into
+the room, looked as white as a sheet, though he was an old soldier. The
+clerk, in his alarm, had entered the office without waiting for M.
+Robergeot to ring. "Fetch the commissary of police on duty here in the
+palace," said the magistrate. "I, myself, will summon the public
+prosecutor. Your examination is ended for the present, gentlemen. You,
+Monsieur Caumont, are at liberty to retire, but you must hold yourself
+in readiness to appear before me at any moment, for this affair is not
+ended. You, Monsieur de Puymirol, will return to the dépôt, and remain
+there until I send for you which will be in a short time, probably."
+
+George rushed wildly through the passages, and it was not until he found
+himself out of doors that he again breathed freely Where could he find
+Albert? They had parted in the Rue de Medicis, after vainly waiting for
+Roch Plancoët to join them in the garden of the Luxembourg. George had,
+of course, been obliged to follow the messenger sent to conduct him
+before the magistrate; and Albert had parted from him with a cheery:
+"I'll see you again to-morrow." But George now wanted to see the young
+officer at once; for the man who had just blown his brains out in the
+presence of the two friends was Roch Plancoët, and it had cost George no
+little effort to conceal his emotion on seeing him enter M. Robergeot's
+office. Why had he killed himself? and why had he declared to George's
+profound astonishment that he was Dargental's murderer? Evidently to
+spare Gabrielle the pain of knowing her mother's disgrace. But what a
+strange means he had employed! Could he have really believed that the
+authorities would always remain ignorant of his name? He had certainly
+disfigured himself beyond power of recognition, but justice possesses
+other means of establishing a person's identity. Besides, was his
+statement really correct? The story of the agents despatched to watch
+him by M. Rochas was very extraordinary, and yet, otherwise, why had he
+thrown the pocket-book into the cab? Whilst thus reflecting, George
+Caumont reached the Place Saint-Michel. Some omnibuses there barred his
+passage, and while waiting to pass, he saw Madame Verdon approaching
+him. He tried to avoid her, but it was too late. She called to him, and
+said: "Well, are you satisfied? You have leagued yourself with Albert
+and Gabrielle, I see, so as to force me to leave Paris, and you have
+even sent Monsieur Plancoët to me with your orders. You deserve to marry
+a girl who rebels against her mother. However, farewell, and good luck
+to you," she added, with a sneering laugh. "I have just been to
+Plancoët's notary and have left him my written consent to your marriage.
+Monsieur Rochas is waiting for me, and I must make haste if I want to
+catch the express for Rome, _via_ Florence."
+
+With these concluding words, she entered a passing cab, leaving George
+amazed and indignant beyond expression. On his way up the Boulevard
+Saint-Michel he was obliged to pass Madame Verdon's residence, and he
+felt strongly tempted to enter it. Gabrielle was there, no doubt, but
+what should he say to her? How could he explain to her, her mother's
+conduct, and acquaint her with the tragical death of her old friend,
+Roch? It would certainly be better to allow her brother time to prepare
+her for this blow. Accordingly he walked straight on to the Rue de
+Medicis. Here his doorkeeper handed him a note from Albert which ran as
+follows: "Everything has been arranged. I have seen my sister, and this
+evening I shall take her to the house of Madame de Brangue, my colonel's
+wife, who will act as her chaperon for the present. Call on me to-morrow
+morning, at nine o'clock, at the Hôtel de l'Empereur Joseph, in the Rue
+de Tournon. Try to find Plancoët before you come, and bring him with
+you. His visit to my mother accomplished wonders. What a friend we have
+in him! He has saved us all."
+
+"At the cost of his life!" murmured George, sorrowfully, for he did not
+share the illusions of his future brother-in-law.
+
+However, he was punctual in keeping the appointment that Albert had made
+with him for the following morning, and on reaching the hotel he found
+the lieutenant smoking a cigar in his room. The first words that the
+young officer articulated were: "Where is Plancoët? Didn't you bring him
+with you?"
+
+George shook his head. He did not know how to break the terrible news to
+his prospective brother-in-law. "Plancoët will never come," he at last
+said, sadly.
+
+"Why? has any accident happened to him?"
+
+George was about to reply that he was dead, when one of the hotel
+servants entered with a letter which he handed to Albert. "Why, this
+note is from Roch," exclaimed the young officer in astonishment. "How
+strange for him to write instead of coming to see me. The letter must
+have been posted yesterday evening. Let us see what he has to say."
+
+He broke the seal, and drew from the envelope two sheets of paper which
+George had only to glance at, to recognise the letters of Blanche
+Pornic and the countess. Albert laid them on the table and then opening
+the missive from Plancoët which accompanied them, he read aloud as
+follows: "'My dear boy,--You, as yet, only know a part of the truth, and
+you must know it all. You will henceforth be the head of the family; and
+until your sister marries, you will be responsible for her, for I shall
+not be at hand to watch over her.'"
+
+"Why, what can he be driving at?" exclaimed the lieutenant. "Roch is the
+best fellow in the world, but he has a fondness for making a mystery out
+of everything.
+
+"'I am sure that your mother will yield,'" he continued, resuming his
+perusual, "'and it is hardly probable that you will ever see her again.
+That is why, before I go to see her, I wish to make you clearly
+understand the part she has played in an affair which has proved so
+terrible in its consequences to us all, and to me especially. I need not
+revert to the past, nor need I speak of your mother's fault. I can only
+plead extenuating circumstances on her behalf. While your poor father
+lived she did not fail in her duty. She brought you up carefully, your
+sister and yourself; she even loved you devotedly. It was her husband's
+death that caused all this misery. Left to herself, and transplanted to
+Paris, she lacked the strength to resist the many temptations of her new
+life; and fate willed that she should meet a scoundrel who only thought
+of profiting by her weakness. He wanted to marry her for her money, but
+I managed to prevent that, though she fell a willing victim to his
+fascinations. She finally discovered, however, that she had several
+rivals in his affections, and a rupture followed. She could not escape
+from Dargental's persecutions; his demands never ceased, and latterly,
+they assumed such a threatening character that I resolved to put an end
+to them. I could not choose my means in doing this. It was absolutely
+necessary to secure the restitution of a letter which Dargental had
+threatened to send to Monsieur Rochas, in case your mother did not
+consent to purchase it at a cost of two hundred thousand francs; and I
+could not hope to obtain it from Dargental by persuasion. Your mother
+was terribly frightened, and wished to marry as soon as possible in
+order to have a protector capable of defending her. I took good care not
+to say a word to her about the plan which I had formed, and which I
+executed without anybody's help. I resolved to kill Dargental, and I did
+kill him!'
+
+"Plancoët a murderer! impossible!" exclaimed the lieutenant.
+
+"I knew it," murmured George. "Go on to the end, my friend."
+
+Albert was in consternation, but he, nevertheless, continued: "'I killed
+him, after a violent altercation which would almost justify me in
+pleading that I only acted in self-defence; but I believe I should have
+killed him in any case. This man would have cast a shadow over
+Gabrielle's whole life. He was a disgrace to mankind. I secured the
+letter which he had intended to use as a weapon against your mother and
+yourselves, and I left the house; and we should have all been saved but
+for a strange fatality. When you see Monsieur Caumont again, ask him to
+explain how he and his friend, Monsieur de Puymirol, came into
+possession of the pocket-book I had taken from Dargental, and tell him
+that I was the person who threw that pocket-book into their cab. He will
+guess the rest, and explain everything to you. I enclose in this note
+the letters written by the two ladies I do not know. I keep the third,
+which will be useful to me in negotiating with your mother. If she
+accepts the conditions we have agreed to impose upon her--as I have no
+doubt she will--I shall leave her letter with Monsieur Berlier, my
+notary, who resides at No. 7 on the Quai Saint-Michel, with instructions
+to give it to your mother in exchange for her written consent to your
+sister's marriage with Monsieur Caumont.'"
+
+"The exchange has been effected," said George. "I met your mother as she
+was leaving the notary's office."
+
+"'And this is what I have resolved to do, whatever the result may be:'"
+resumed Albert, still reading Plancoët's letter: "'Monsieur Caumont's
+most intimate friend has been arrested, and is still in prison, charged
+with a crime of which he is innocent. He shall not remain there any
+longer. I will not permit it. I shall call upon the magistrate this very
+day, and inform him that it was I who killed Dargental. He will ask me
+why I killed him, and I shall be obliged to invent some story that will
+screen your mother from suspicion. He will also ask my name; but I shall
+refuse to give it, and I shall kill myself in the magistrate's
+presence.'"
+
+"He must have been crazy when he wrote that," said Albert.
+
+"He did kill himself, I saw him do so," rejoined George.
+
+"Good heavens! is it true? you were present at the time?"
+
+"Yes," said Caumont; and he forthwith related all that had taken place
+in the magistrate's office.
+
+"Poor Roch!" murmured the lieutenant, dashing away a tear. "He
+sacrificed his life for our sake, I see that. But I have not finished
+his letter; let me read on to the end: 'I mean to shoot myself in such a
+way that I shall be absolutely disfigured. There are no marks on my
+linen, no tailor's name on my clothes: I have even pulled the lining out
+of my hat so that my identity will always remain a mystery for the
+officials. My notary will hand you a power of attorney enabling you to
+attend to my affairs, for I have told him and the doorkeeper at my house
+that I am going to America. Nobody will pay any attention to my
+disappearance. Believe me when I say that your mother is quite guiltless
+in all this. Puymirol also; Rochas, too, knew nothing about it, though
+Dargental had sent him anonymous letters, and he was having me watched,
+believing me to be your mother's lover. Dargental would have brought
+disgrace upon you all. He would not have stopped at anything: he was so
+very furious that he could not obtain a large sum of money from your
+mother. There was but one course to follow--to put him out of the
+way--and I adopted it. And now, God bless you! Think of me sometimes.
+Give Caumont Gabrielle's portrait which hangs in my sitting-room.
+Good-bye, my dear Albert, my last thought will be for you all.'"
+
+A spell of silence followed this perusal. There were tears in the young
+men's eyes. However, finally, Caumont remarked: "It seems as though
+Roch's suicide will really end the investigation. His body will not be
+identified, and the affair will be forgotten, providing we prevent any
+imprudent act calculated to revive it."
+
+"An imprudent act! We shall certainly not commit any."
+
+"No; but we can't foresee what the writers of those letters will do.
+Even now, they may be shuddering at the thought of being compromised;
+and fear is a bad adviser."
+
+"You are right, and I think it would be as well to return the letters to
+them immediately--the sooner the better. Let us take a cab, and call on
+them."
+
+Caumont assented; and five minutes later, he and Albert were rolling
+through the streets of Paris, bound first for Blanche's rooms in the
+Avenue de Messine, and thence for the Lescombat mansion near the Parc
+Monceau.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+But little more now remains to be told; Blanche received her letter, and
+the countess received hers; and both missives were duly burnt without
+delay. Three weeks after Roch Plancoët's death, George and Gabrielle
+were married at the church of St. Sulpice. The bride was, perhaps, a
+trifle sad as her brother and her happy spouse had been obliged to
+inform her of Roch's suicide, and even amid her bliss, she could not
+entirely forget the worthy old friend, who had sacrificed himself for
+her and hers. M. Robergeot had failed to penetrate the identity of
+Dargental's murderer, so thorough had been the precautions which Roch
+had taken; and to the authorities, if not to our readers, the crime of
+the Boulevard Haussmann still remains a puzzling mystery.
+
+Madame Verdon is now married. She was united at Florence to M. Rochas,
+who rules her with an iron hand. Puymirol, having been duly released,
+has converted his Aunt Bessèges's property into cash and left for New
+York, where he hopes to find a rich wife, but the Americans are shrewd,
+and his sanguine expectations may not be realised. Poor Charles Balmer
+is furious. A celebrated physician has just informed him that he has
+thirty more years to live, and he has only money enough left to last him
+eighteen months. Albert is fast becoming an able officer, and is daily
+expecting promotion; while as for George and Gabrielle they are really
+happy, and still remember Roch Plancoët, who died to insure them a
+peaceful, unclouded life.
+
+
+THE END.
+
+_S. Cowan & Co., Printers, Perth._
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Red Lottery Ticket, by Fortuné Du Boisgobey
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40491 ***