File No. 113

's asylum, was the most elegant

's board in advance is treated

ced till she could scarcely breathe, always over-dressed, and fo

eaknesses, and Heaven knows she had indulged in every variety, only one

hospital, she began to be worried that her "little man" had not returned to

is mon

ot appeared

trader without a license in perfumery and toilet articles, and, finding it necessary to watch some o

the mayoralty and the church, it was because they imagine

ence office, and entered the police, where he had already been

they were now carrying on prosperously well, esteemed by their neighb

he exclaimed, as she dropped her knife an

aresses with an a

m to win as often as he wished, a man who does not know what 'the pool' is! I became acquainted with him yesterday, and now

an office me

pportunity of studying my characters, if I am

alet gave y

s. Evariste says he has not a single vice, not even a little defect by which his valet could gain ten sous. He neither smokes, drinks, nor plays; in fact, he is a saint. He

s wife i

t be abo

reflected a min

bout the other mem

son, Lucien, lives with his parents, and is as prope

about th

d tell me noth

shrugged her

se there is nothing to be discovered. Still,

ll

onsult wit

ed up as if he

y place? M. Lecoq does not suspect that I have anyth

. You can consult him with an air of indifference, as if you were not at all i

hed his wife's wor

Lecoq is so devilishly shrewd

the police office say that so often, that he has gaine

the matter over; but, in the me

was Mme.

he was still under the impression that she had obeyed a friend of Prosper's. When she received her summons from M. Patrigent, she admired the wonderful ski

ve landlady, she had, without any mi

of his being a skilful detective, when he pretended to have

aily more difficult. I don't know what the judge told her, but she came home quite beside herself with anger. She wanted to

r, and did not tell me before? Perhaps it contai

opened a little cupboard, and took o

" she said, "an

mbermaid, Palmyre Chocareille, since

address, written in

L. DE C

er, Hotel

d to M. Rao

reat

tion with a little whistle, as was his habit when

open it?" question

nferlot, as he dexterou

husband's shoulder, and they

accused of a robbery which he never co

ot, "this silly girl wrote,

posted it herself, the day she

anferlot propitiated.

I shall consider myself released from a certain promise, and without scruple will tell Prosper of the conversation I overheard between y

A GY

anferlot at once p

. Alexandre, "wh

hen the door of the hotel office was abruptly o

k closet. He had barely time to close th

She was pale and hollow-cheeked,

Alexandre could not

d, you are no

e to ask you to tell anyone that may call

are you going at this

t Mme. Gyps

tempted to confide in you; read this note

ectly aghast: "a messenger enter

thing surpris

! nothing s

gh to be heard in the c

very anxious to speak to you. Be in the stage-office opposite the Saint Jacques tower, t

lace for the rendezvous so as t

going to this

inly,

, foolish; it is a s

I am so unfortunate already that I have nothin

out. The door had scarcely closed upon Mme. Gy

as white with rage,

I to stand by and have people walking over

ood trembling, an

pstairs without being seen by anybody! I will look into this. And the idea of you, Mme. Alexandre, yo

my d

r, and discover what she is attempting to conceal? Come,

ig, and one of those long linen blouses worn by dishonest workmen, who go

ffs?" asked the solic

letter to M. de Clameran in the pos

reply, who cried out, "Good luck!

he ran up the street he knew she must have t

rendezvous, has started too soon, and is obliged to occupy the intervening tim

theatre-bills, and finally took a seat on a bench. One minute bef

. Gypsy might recognize him in spite of his heavy beard, he t

e world could have made this appointment in a stage-office? Judging from her evident curio

shriek out the destination of an omnibus which had just arrived, and the bewildere

ypsy would tremble, and Fanf

man entered, and, without going to the ticket-window, walk

iery-red whiskers. His dress was that of a well-to-do merchant, and

watched hi

I shall recognize you, no matter where we meet;

e stranger or Gypsy. All he could do was to judge by their pantomim

to escape. A single word and look made her resume her seat. Then, as the stout man went on talking, Gypsy's attitude betrayed great apprehension. She positively refused to do something; then suddenly she seemed to consent,

as he sat in his dark corner, biting his nails. "Wh

eir suspicions, when the fat man arose, offered his arm to Mme. Gypsy, who

he could, without risk, follow them; and it was well he did; fo

man and Gypsy cross the pavement, ap

t, "I've got them now. There i

red his legs; and, when the coach started, he followed in a br

was not for nothing that Fanferlot had won the name of "Squirrel." W

an to get breathless, and stiff from a pain in his side. T

esources. He seized the springs of the coach, raised himself up by the strength of his wrists, and hung on behind, with his legs

false beard, "you may drive a

d drove furiously along the hilly

f a wine-store, and the driver jum

g in a doorway, waited for Gypsy and her companion to get ou

, and still there w

ng all this time?" gr

ns, he approached th

eception! i

e-water over him; he remained rooted to the spot with

st forth in a volley of oaths, loud enough to

oled! Ah! but won't I m

run over the gamut of possibi

other; the trick is simple enough. If they resorted to it, 'tis because they feared

he idea struck him that he had better atte

only refused to answer, but shook his whip in so threatening

"perhaps he and the dri

ld not imagine. He walked dejectedly back to the quay,

inquired of Mme. Alexandre, the i

o large bundles whic

stily opened

co dresses, some coarse s

w she is going to disguise herself. Upon my wor

urg St. Martin, he had fully made up his mind tha

ll his conjectures, his vanity disappeared. He confessed everything-hi

hom Mme. Alexandre was determined to obtain an explanation of what had happened, returned. At one o'clo

e closet, and Mme. Alexandre remain

e cried. "Oh, I have been so uneasy, so a

erest, madame. Has a bund

fore dejected. To her melancholy of the last few days, had succeeded a firm and

ou; here they are. I suppose

changed my plans, that, I regret t

ow! then something

at would intere

rner, Mme. Gypsy said "Good-night" in a

e. Alexandre?" questioned Fanferlo

s to M. de Clameran to meet her he

istrusts us; she

of the cashier m

hey think I am on their track, and are trying to escape me. I should not be at all surpri

ten to me: you had better take m

tated awhile,

have discovered nothing, neither has he. But, if he undertakes to be domineering,

orning he was up-it was necessary to rise very early if he wished to catch M. Lecoq at home-and, refre

is patron, as he called him; for he started out with

pulled his hat over his eyes, and hung his head, as if looking for relief among the paving-stones.

th the arms of the famous detective-a cock, the symbol of vigilance-and

earance of a grenadier. She was as faithful to her master as a watch-dog, and always stood rea

ou come in time for once in your l

ed with a violent desire to retreat. By wh

ouille seized him by the arm

there? Come along, your

half green-room, was seated at a desk the same person with gold spec

coq in his off

, bowing till his backbone was a perfect curve, M. Lec

, it seems that you haven't made m

red Fanferlo

hing until you can't see your way ou

ecoq, it w

he room: suddenly he confronted Fanferlo

mploy him, who reveals just enough to lead the prosecution on the wrong scent, who sacrif

ed back with a

he stammered,

who belong to it. And yet you have been false to yours. Ah! Master Fanferlot, we are ambitious, and we try to make the police force serve our own views! We let Justice

atron,

instruction? Whilst others were informing against the cashier, you undertook to infor

e? Fanferlot, who knew him well, was puzzled

ed, "but no: you wish to be master, an

was useless for him to deny anything. "But how could I go about an af

hrugged hi

sary to verify the robbery, you held-I do not say certainly, but very probably held-in your

! Wh

ed it, and were convinced that it was a fresh scratch, only a few hours old. You thought, and rightly too, that this scratch was made at the time of the theft. Now, with what was it made? Evi

lanation. At the last words, he violently slap

le! Imb

n't see it! This scratch is the sole and only clew to work the case upon, and you must go and lose the traces of

Lecoq; but, in his presence, he yielded to the influence whic

ments, and even thoughts, so upset his mind that he could not think

een looking up t

and may have overlooked some important evid

thing for him to do. However as he reached the end of his statement, a feeling of mor

coq was always fully informed on every

at you have forgotten something. How

nd hung his head lik

and you know about that t

s his brain: he stopped short,

were the large gentle

expression to his face that M.

ared, so as to impress his appearance upon my mind, and I never recognized you! Patron, you would

anferlot. Do you think that a heavy beard and a blouse are a sufficient transformation? The eye is

e lynx-eyed Lecoq never appeared at the

an Mme. Alexandre; you have made the little girl confess? You know why she leaves the A

ollowing

dejectedly, "there is nothing left for m

you started this affair? No. That shows that, although you are incomparable as a lieutenant, you do not possess the qualities of a general. I am going to pres

elmed with a storm of anger; whereas he had escaped with a little shower that had cooled his brain. Lecoq's anger disappeared

ferlot feel uneasy. He was afraid that

who the thief

be innocent, and the banker guilty. I don't know whether you are right or wrong. I started after you, and have only reached the prelimi

om his desk and unrolled an i

detail was perfect. There were the five movable buttons with the engraved letters,

ally, and, observe, from left to right; that is to say, it terminates on the side next to the private staircase le

on, I see

ey. Let us see if you were right. I have here a little iron box, painted with gr

fter several attempts, "this p

nd thicker. So you see the scratch you discovered could not have

r should have thought of that. It certainly require

and only yesterday did I come to a conclusion. Let us examine together, and see if o

the door communicating with his bedroom, took the k

ose that I want to open this door, and you don't want me to open it; wh

nd draw it toward me so as to p

ecoq, pulled aside from the lock, slipped along the door, and traced upon it a diago

ree different tones of admiration, as h

understand now?

e scene as if I had been present. Two persons were present at the robbery; one wished to ta

s sort, M. Lecoq was much amu

humoredly: "you regard as sure proof a circumstance w

e you could not be mistake

at deductions would you

ves that I am correct in th

w s

he wished to do so, it is not likely that he would have

his supposition the banker would be

d, and all of his

d in a despairing tone.

the one who opened the safe, and stole the notes, a

M. Fauvel and his cashier had keys, and they only?

obbery the banker left h

t sufficient to open the safe;

ged his should

the word?"

yp

e of all the circumstances connected with this name, and at the same time on a footing with the Fauvel family which would give him the priv

l, and never wished to have one. He worked alone, because he hated assistant

acter, was surprised to hear him giving ad

of his pre-occupation he could

em to take a great interest in this a

nervously, and

irrel; be careful that you do no

began to

fancy to do so. It pleases me to be the head, and let you be the hand. Unassisted, with your preconceived

cceed if you interest

appearing in this affair. No matter what happens, I forbid your mentioning my name. If we succeed, all the success must be attributed to y

seemed quite to

r instructions,

t this case. Explain to him, as if it were your own discovery, what I have just shown you; repeat for his benefit the scene we have acted, an

et him know that I suspect anyon

p this affair. M. Patrigent will tell you to watch Prosper; you will reply that yo

asks me ab

esitated f

her, in the interest of Prosper, to live in a hou

his hat to go, when M. Lecoq check

you know how to drive a c

is of a man who used to be a

ly, make yourself a wig and the complete dress of a valet; and, havin

, pa

ll send you to M. de Clameran, who is looking

hat you are making a mistake. This C

two men of such different ages? That is what I must find out. I must also find out who this forge-master is who lives in Paris, and never goes to attend to his furnaces. A jolly fellow, who takes it into his head to live at the Hotel du Louvre, in the midst of a tu

be obeyed

are three, which state that you have lived with the Marquis de Sairmeuse and the Count de Commarin, and that you have just left the Baron de Wortschen, who went to Germany the ot

tron. Where shall

ot in this house; you might be followed. If anything important should happ

nferlot as M. Lecoq p

gold spectacles, and removed the close wig from his thick black hair. The official Lecoq had disappeared, leaving in his

etics, paints, perfumes, false hair, and other unmentionable shams, than are to be found on the to

lished one of his daily masterpieces. When he had finished, he was no longer Lecoq:

thing: I have left nothing to chance. All my plans are fixed; and I shal

ste a minute. He did not run, he

ce someone that he, Fanferlot, wa

ideas of another man, he never thought of it. It is generally in pe

lly convinced, he admired the ingenuity and shrewdness of the whole

I will make out a favorable report to-day; and it is hig

t proven," which restores liberty, but not honor, to the accused man

Criminal Code, we hereby declare that we find no grounds for prosecution against the aforesaid prisoner at this present

ch justice cannot clear up. The mystery remains to be solved. This is

f the bundle of papers relating to Prosper's