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The judge, who was bending over his papers trying to find something to sustain his position, did not perceive this. "But then," said the latter, "how do you explain Guespin's refusal to speak and to give an account of where he spent the night?" M. Lecoq had now recovered from his emotion, and Dr.
A mournful silence welcomed Guespin's declaration. What, he confessed it! M. Domini had at least the good taste not to exult; he kept still, and yet this avowal surprised him beyond all expression. M. Lecoq alone, although surprised, was not absolutely put out of countenance.
"Guespin's all right," said M. Plantat. "But we must know " M. Lecoq interrupted him; he knew now all he wished. Jenny could tell him nothing more, so he suddenly changed his tone from a wheedling one to abrupt severity. "My fine young woman," said he, "you have saved an innocent man, but you must repeat what you have just said to the judge of instruction at Corbeil.
"Oh, I intended to throw it into the Seine, as Hector wished, but I forgot it; you see, I had drunk almost as much as the gardener so I carried it back home with me, and it is in my room now." "Have you opened it?" "Well what do you think?" "What did it contain?" "A hammer, two other tools and a large knife." Guespin's innocence was now evident, and the detective's foresight was realized.
A rapid chain of reasoning had shown him not only Tremorel's thoughts, but also the means he had employed to accomplish his purpose. Guespin's astonishment soon changed to anger. He asked himself how this man could have been informed of things which he had every reason to believe were secret.
"I have not as yet accused you," said the judge of instruction, quickly. "You knew, perhaps, that the count received a considerable sum yesterday?" A bitter smile parted Guespin's lips as he answered: "I know well enough that everything is against me." There was a profound silence. The doctor, the mayor, and Plantat, seized with a keen curiosity, dared not move.
"Yes, it is I, young man; but console yourself; I bear no grudge against you. You don't know your trade, but you have done me a service and you have brought us a convincing proof of Guespin's innocence." M. Domini looked on at this scene with secret chagrin. His recruit went over to the enemy, yielding without a struggle to a confessed superiority.
He had no longer any opinion excepting that of his superior. It was not so easy to persuade, subjugate, and convince the judge. "But," objected the latter, "you saw Guespin's countenance?" "Ah, what matters the countenance what does that prove? Don't we know if you and I were arrested to-morrow on a terrible charge, what our bearing would be?"
That would be absurd. "To me, then, this piece of cloth, this smeared vest, indicate at once Guespin's innocence and the count's guilt." "But," objected Dr. Gendron, "if Guespin is innocent, why don't he talk? Why don't he prove an alibi? How was it he had his purse full of money?" "Observe," resumed the detective, "that I don't say he is innocent; we are still among the probabilities.
Gendron and M. Plantat, who were watching him with the deepest attention, saw a triumphant light in his eyes. Doubtless he had just found a solution of the problem which had been put to him. "I understand," replied he, "and can explain Guespin's obstinate silence. I should be perfectly amazed if he decided to speak just now."
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