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Updated: May 4, 2025
"My dear boy," said Mascarin, "let me present you to one of my oldest and best friends." Then, turning to Catenac, he added: "I wish to ask you to help and assist my young friend here. Paul Violaine is a good fellow, who has neither father nor mother, and whom we are trying to help on in his journey through life."
The professions of Hortebise and Catenac the one a doctor and the other a lawyer facilitated our operations greatly. One administered to the diseases of the body, and the other to that of the purse, and, of course, thus they became professors of many secrets. As for me, the head and chief, it would not do to remain an idle looker-on.
But poor Catenac has no expensive tastes, nor does he care for women or the pleasures of the table. While we indulged in every pleasure, he lent out his money at usurious interest. But, stop, how much do you spend per annum?" "That is a hard question to answer; but, say, forty thousand francs."
The man who assisted me in the unravelling of this dark intrigue was the original promoter Daumon." "What, is the Counsellor still alive?" "Certainly, and you know him. He is not quite in his first youth, and has aged somewhat, but his intellect is as brilliant as ever." Catenac grew serious. "You tell me a great deal," said he. "I can tell you even more.
"No; and on my last visit I plainly told him that I was getting sick of all this mystery; and he said that he himself was tired, and was sorry that he had ever meddled in the affair." Tantaine was not surprised at hearing this, and accounted for Catenac's change of front by the threats of Mascarin. "Well, what do you draw from this?" asked he. "That Catenac has no more information than I have.
Do we not hold the letters of both of them, and do we not know in what corner of his garden to dig to discover a damning piece of evidence? Remember that there will be no difficulty in identifying the skeleton, for at the time of his disappearance, Croisenois had about him several Spanish doubloons, a fact which was given to the police." "Well," said Catenac, "I will act faithfully.
"I will leave you, then, to imagine all I said to the old man, who listened to me with great satisfaction. 'I only hope that you are as skilful as M. Catenac says you are, and have as much influence and power as you assert, for no man has a finer chance than you now have.
In the meantime Lecoq turned towards Catenac. "And you too are included in this warrant," said he. Catenac, perhaps owing to his legal training, made no reply to Lecoq, but addressing the commissary, observed, "I am the victim of a most unpleasant mistake, but my position " "The warrant is quite regular," returned the commissary. "You can see it if you desire." "No, it is not necessary.
"Listen to it, Hortebise, and you shall see how it is that I hold firmly, at the same time, both the Duke and Duchess of Champdoce, and Diana the Countess of Mussidan. Listen to me, Catenac, you who distrusted me, and were ready to play the traitor, and tell me if I do not grasp success in my strong right hand."
He had no objection to share the profits of this ignoble trade, but he objected strongly to showing his connection with it openly. "No, no," cried he hastily, "you must not depend upon me." He seemed so much in earnest that Hortebise and Catenac exchanged glances of dismay. "Let us have no nonsense," returned Mascarin sternly, "and wait a little before you display so much fierceness.
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