Monsieur Lecoq, v.1

rtable cushions, they become the object of many an envious glance. Sometimes, however, the coachman has taken a drop too much, and upsets the carriage; perhaps the horse

ist should make humble foot-passengers bless the

such an expression of consternation that the doorkeeper could not help laugh

! not

did not allow the vague presentiment that flitted through his mind to assume any definite form. For after all, what possible connection could there be between the two occurrences? Then again, he

done so. Still, he could not help saying to himself that this stroke of misfortune would free him from all fu

t-heartedness. "In that case," said the young detective to t

is disabled? The news only arrived an hour ago; but all the urgent business that

ir that occurred the other night just

en sent to the prefecture after you already. M. Segmul

He was trying to remember the magistrate that bore this name,

is a worthy man, not quite so grim as most of our gentlemen. A prisoner he had examined said one day: 'That devil

reports, Lecoq went and tapped at a door that wa

lled out a pl

e, tall and rather corpulent, who at once exclaimed: "Ah! you are Lecoq. Very well-take a seat.

orresponded perfectly with the description given by the doorkeeper. His plump face wore an air of frankness and benevolence, an

l the more dangerous since it is allied with extreme caution. He had a wonderfully alert, penetrating mind; but his system-every magistrate has his own-was mainly good-humor. Unlike most of his colleagues, who were as stiff

examined forgot the necessity of protecting themselves, and unawares confessed their guilt. Thus, it frequently happened that while some unsuspecting

one who was a caricature of himself. This clerk's name was Goguet. He was short but corpulent, and his broad, be

young detective had collected, from the flakes of wool to the diamond earring, were spread out upon the magistrate's desk. With the greatest attention, he perused the rep

his armchair. Monsieur Lecoq," he said, slowly, "Monsieur d'Escorval has informed me by a note o

ing, at al

has brought me a report as complete as yours. You are young, and if you perse

t, Lecoq bowed and

uller, "and the public prosecutor informs me that M. d'Escorval shar

dinary achievements. Indeed, he would have gone through fire and water for the magistrate who had received hi

m the end. Now, what have you been doing since yesterday? Did M. d'Es

at once proceeded to relate the various facts that had com

presumed accomplice, the points he had noted in the supposed murderer's conduct, the latter's unsuccessful attempt at self-destruction. He repeated

he prisoner's feet; at the same time depositing beside it a similar parcel of dust colle

of the two parcels, M. Segmuller, who had been listening attentively, at once exclaimed: "You are right. It may be that you have dis

k, nodded approvingly. "Capital!" he murmu

on" in a large drawer, from which they would not emerge until the trial. "Now," said he, "I und

topped him with an almost supplicating gesture. "I

is it?

t this examination. It takes so little,

trate assisted by his clerk, it also allows the presence of police agents. Accordingly, M. Segmuller told

ught here, in compliance with

is in the gal

r come

had arrayed herself for her examination with the utmost care. She had arranged her rebellious gray locks in smooth bandeaux, and her garments, although of common material, looked positively neat. She had even persuaded one of the prison

awn upon her repertoire of grimaces for an innocent, sad, and yet resigned expression, well fitted,

harge of his chambers-solely on the strength of her good looks. But M. Segmuller had unmasked so many hypocrites that he was not deceived for a moment. "What an old actress!" he muttered to himself, and, glancing at Lecoq, he perceived the same thought spa

ith the silly smile, to get his writing materials ready. He then tu

ur service, sir;" so saying, she made a low courtesy, and then added: "A lawful widow, you under

nterrupted th

ty-f

profes

Paris, near the Rue du Chateau-des-Ren

te and the culprit time to study each other, to try, as it were, each other's strength, before joining in a se

te your antecedents. Have you not alread

of those famous records which render the denial of identity such a difficu

all, you were arrested on a ch

aracter was whiter than snow. My poor, dear husban

sentence, you were condemned, first to one month's

emies who did thei

ned for having led som

atures. I did them many favors, and then they went and related a batch of fal

s undergoing his fourth term of imprisonment; and it has been clearly proved that you abetted and assisted him in his evil deeds. Your daughter-in-law, by some miracle, has remained honest and industrious, hence you hav

iefs from her pocket, and, by dint of rubbing her eyes, endeavored to extract a tear. "Oh, unhappy me," she groaned. "How can any one imagine th

ring a few, generally the less deserving, showed no mercy to others. Alas! she was one of those who had had no luck in life, having always been persecuted, despite her innocence. In this last affair, for instance, how was she to blame? A triple murder had stained her shop with

e magistrate. "You are accused o

ens! Is it

Widow Chupin; take care. When the police entered your cabin, after

em all tha

u must repeat what y

t suspect either what the magistrate knew of the affair, or what he was ignorant of. By leaving her to her own devices she might, in the course of the version which she proposed to substitute for the truth, not merely strengthen Lecoq's theories, but also let fall some remark calculated to facilitate the task of future investigation. Both M. Segmuller and Lecoq

tate for a moment. "Oh, it was a very simple affair, my good sir," she began. "I was sitting by m

ce had evidently seen Lecoq and his comrade examining the footprints

this?" asked

eleven

o

say that I haven't an equal in preparing that drink. Of course, I waited on them, and afterward

the peopl

my j

at deal of confide

. "People as poor as I am don'

on-g

old woman!' So I went down, and found a tall, big-bearded man, who had just come in. He

upstairs again?" inte

could have told from the Widow Chupin's placid count

ttle use. The three men who had come in first of all had fallen upon the newcomer, and they were beating him, my good sir, they were killing him. I screamed. Just then the man who had come in alone drew a revolver from his pocket; he fired and killed one o

ost subtle penetration. Any one unacquainted with the antecedents of the landlady of the Poivriere would certainly have been impressed by her apparent candor, so skillfully did she affect a display of frankness,

hough during her recital, delivered, by the way, with conjurer-like volubility, not a muscle of M. Segmuller's face had betrayed what was passing in his mind. Wh

hing the prisoner. "She thinks that it's all over," he muttered to hi

few low-spoken words to the smiling Goguet, M. Segmuller took a seat near the fireplace, convinced

t you didn't remain for a single moment with t

a mom

hey wanted; you waited on them,

my goo

dn't overhear some words of their conv

bit of playing spy

ou hear a

ing a

an air of commiseration. "In other words,"

y good

entions. You have concocted them so as to be able to say to me: 'I didn't see anything; I didn't hear anything.' If such is your system

tem of defense;

hen, suddenly, he exclaimed: "Then you have no

t an assassin

mean by such

ey picked a quarrel with him; he was alone against three, and sa

gue. It is true she might reasonably hope, that the magistrate had imperfectly heard her words, and had failed to seize their full purport, for two or three

the contrary, it was not this man who first at

ow, already forgetful of her prud

s face. "How can you know that?" he said slowly. "How can yo

ions more, and the old woman would be obliged to contradict herself. What she had already said sufficed to show that she mu

y your knowledge of the murderer's character," remarked M

et eyes on him bef

been in your est

in hi

unknown person-this stranger-should have called out: 'Here, old woman!' Did he merely g

not sa

t; you, yourself

ay that, I'm su

by having your evidence read. Gogue

ese words, taken down as they fell from the Widow Chupin's lips: "I had been upstairs about h

inced?" asked

varication. However, instead of discussing the subject any further, the magis

esumed, "those who were k

o more than I kn

men utterly unknown to you, and accompani

imes c

ustomers, in the middle of the night, to a wine-shop with a reputation like yours-an e

ceress; I say

of the victims, the man who was attired

at

and then slowly added: "But you must have heard of

embarrassed, and it was in an altered voice that she stammered: "

at any cost. Did not the "articles of conviction" comprise a letter sent by this man to Gustave, and written, so Lecoq had reason to be

ak of the women who accompanied these unfo

of no accou

ey well

trary, very

me a descrip

first of all took them for men in disguise. They had hands like shoulders o

no further proof of your mendacity. These women

o you, my

ed to confront you with an honest man, who wi

determined to deal a decisive blow. "Do you also affirm that you had not

e it examined; it wa

ler. "Believe me, you are wrong. Reflect-it rests with you

the magistrate did not add another word. Her deposition w

form and handed it to his clerk, saying: "This is an order for the gove