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Updated: May 20, 2025
Though greatly pressed for time, M. Daburon did not venture to interrupt the count, to ask him briefly for the immediate facts of the case. He knew that fever alone gave him this unnatural energy, to which at any moment might succeed the most complete prostration. He feared, if he stopped him for an instant, that he would not have strength enough to resume.
Not only will he decline an examination of your accounts of guardianship, but he will beg you to invest your fortune as you think fit." "Really! Daburon, my friend, you are by no means a fool!" exclaimed the old lady. "If you prefer not to invest your fortune in a life-annuity, your son-in-law will allow you sufficient to make up what you now find wanting."
"I know," resumed Claire, "that I can count upon you; but, come what will, my tranquillity is gone." M. Daburon looked at her with an air of surprise; his eyes questioned her. "It is certain," continued she, "that what I, a young and inexperienced girl, have failed to see, has not passed unnoticed by my grandmother.
When the entanglement of the various passions and motives seems hopeless, an unknown personage presents himself, coming from no one knows where, and it is he who explains everything. M. Daburon, usually the most prudent of men, had considered as simple one of the most complex of cases.
Do not leave the house though; we must converse at some length on this business. Kindly pass into my study, there ought still to be a fire burning there. I will join you directly." Then M. Daburon slowly got out of bed, put on a dressing gown, and seated himself, or rather fell, into an armchair.
"Yes," she resumed, "I love you as a father! Seeing you, usually so grave and austere, become for me so good, so indulgent, I thanked heaven for sending me a protector to replace those who are dead." M. Daburon could not restrain a sob; his heart was breaking. "One word," continued Claire, "one single word, would have enlightened me. Why did you not pronounce it!
M. Daburon had not the slightest doubt of his witness's good faith. Noel continued with the ingenuous candour of an honest heart which suspicion has never touched with its bat's wing: "The idea of treating at once with my father pleased me exceedingly. I thought it so much better to wash all one's dirty linen at home, I had never desired anything but an amicable arrangement.
M. Tabaret's anger, albeit very real and justified, was so highly ludicrous, that M. Daburon had much difficulty to restrain his laughter, in spite of the real sadness of the recital. "At least," said he, "this fortune must have given you pleasure." "Not at all, sir, it came too late. Of what avail to have the bread when one has no longer the teeth? The marriageable age had passed.
He then placed all these material proofs upon his table, and covered them over with three or four large sheets of paper. The day was far advanced; and M. Daburon had no more than sufficient time to examine the prisoner before night. He now remembered that he had tasted nothing since morning; and he sent hastily for a bottle of wine and some biscuits.
It was not much; but this little was enormous in the eyes of M. Daburon; and he had strong hopes of discovering the culprit. The greatest obstacle to success in the unravelling of mysterious crimes is in mistaking the motive. If the researches take at the first step a false direction, they are diverted further and further from the truth, in proportion to the length they are followed.
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