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The lace was of a kind to serve any of these purposes. Inspecting further, M. Floçon made a second discovery. On the small table under the window was a short length of black jet beading, part of the trimming or ornamentation of a lady's dress. These two objects of feminine origin one partly outside the car, the other near it, but quite inside gave rise to many conjectures.
At his own expense he established among them a Phalanstrie, which is now in most successful operation." "He is rich, then?" asked Flocon. "Seemingly not, to judge from his habits of life," replied Marrast. "Not a man in the Chamber is more Republican in garb, manner, equipage or residence than he, and yet he may be rich." "Is he married?" asked Rollin. "He has been, I am told," said Marrast.
It was six o'clock when the sitting closed, and they must be in consultation now, or Barrot would surely be here, if but for a moment, out of respect to his bosom friend, our host. Ah! there he is, just entering, surrounded by a perfect army of Republicans De Courtais, Marrast, Lesseps, Duvergier, Flocon, Lamartine, Dupont and a whole host besides."
He could not entirely conceal the trouble that now overcame him; it certainly did not escape so shrewd an observer as M. Floçon, who promptly tried to turn it to good account. "Come, M. le Général," he said, with much assumed bonhomie. "I can see how it is with you, and you have my sincere sympathy. We are all of us liable to be carried away, and there is much excuse for you in this.
"Will you interrogate him further, M. Beaumont le Hardi? Here, at once?" "No, let him be removed to the Prefecture; it will be more convenient; to my private office." Without more ado a fiacre was called, and the prisoner was taken off under escort, M. Floçon seated by his side, one policeman in front, another on the box, and lodged in a secret cell at the Quai l'Horloge.
The fiacre rattled off at top speed, and the General turned to confront M. Floçon. The little detective was white to the lips with rage and disappointment; but he also was a man of promptitude, and before falling foul of this pestilent Englishman, who had again marred his plans, he shouted to Galipaud "Quick! After them! Follow her wherever she goes.
He was met outside the station, just under the wide verandah, by the officials, who gave him a brief outline of the facts, so far as they were known, and as they have already been put before the reader. "The passengers have been detained?" asked M. Floçon at once. "Those in the sleeping-car only " "Tut, tut! they should have been all kept at least until you had taken their names and addresses.
The maid was no doubt to have attended to all these, but as she had not come, they remained unpacked and strewn about in some disorder. M. Floçon pounced down upon the contents of the berth, and commenced an immediate search for a lace scarf, or any wrap or cover with lace. He found nothing, and was hardly disappointed.
"May we not gather wisdom, which shall conduct us to success in the future, from the very errors and disasters of the past?" remarked Flocon. "Alas!" despondingly replied Marrast, "what is there in our present to promise a bright future more than was in our past to promise us a bright present?
"Have you heard Bugeaud's remark at noon, when looking upon the Place de la Concorde?" asked Marrast. "We have been too busy to-day to hear anything," said Ledru Rollin. "'Ah! we shall have a day of it, said the bloodthirsty old hero. 'I care not for the day, said the pale Guizot, 'but the night!" "The people made quite a demonstration about Guizot, I hear," said Flocon.
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