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Updated: June 23, 2025
He had been informed that the farm buildings at Valpinson, which were insured in his company, had been destroyed by fire; that they had been purposely set on fire by M. de Boiscoran; and that he wished to confer with Count Claudieuse on the subject.
"We have sent to the hospital to inquire from the lady superior how the poor idiot is, who has taken such a prominent part in the bloody drama at Valpinson. His mental condition remains unchanged since he has been examined by experts. The spark of intelligence which the crime had elicited seems to be extinguished entirely and forever. It is impossible to obtain a word from him.
If there had been nothing against him but the fire at Valpinson, and the attempts upon Count Claudieuse, that would have been a small matter. But the fire had had terrible consequences. Two men had perished in it; and two others had been so severely wounded as to put their lives in jeopardy. Only the evening before, a sad procession had passed through the streets of Sauveterre.
The poor idiot had lost the habit of privation: he had forgotten how to go from door to door, asking for alms; and he would have perished, if his good fortune had not led him to knock at the door of the house at Valpinson. Count Claudieuse and his wife were touched by his wretchedness, and determined to take charge of him.
For a moment, he thought he saw the woman that inevitable woman who is always at the bottom of every great event in man's life; and just then she vanished from his sight; for he tortured his mind in vain to discover a possible if not probable connection between the mysterious visitor in Vine Street and the events that had happened at Valpinson. He could not see a trace.
At the bottom of all these occurrences at Valpinson, there lies, I am perfectly sure, some dark intrigue. Most assuredly we shall put Jacques out of his trouble; but I fear it will be hard work." "M. Magloire!" announced old Anthony. The eminent advocate of Sauveterre entered.
"I am going to tell you why! Last night, between ten and eleven, Valpinson was set on fire; and it has been burnt to the ground." "Oh!" "Last night Count Claudieuse was fired at twice." "Great God!" "And it is thought, in fact there are strong reasons to think, that you, Jacques de Boiscoran, are the incendiary and the assassin."
"And you, my good man, you get on your horse, and reassure the count. Tell them all to take courage, not to give up; we are coming to help them." But the peasant did not move. "Before going back to Valpinson," he said, "I have another commission to attend to in town." "Why? What is it?" "I am to get the doctor to go back with me." "The doctor! Why? Has anybody been hurt?"
At Valpinson she never was afraid, and even at night, quite alone, and without a light, all over the house. But here she is frightened at every thing; and, as soon as night comes, she fancies the garden is full of ghosts. You are too big now, Martha, to think that statues, which are made of stone, can come to life, and walk about. The child was shuddering.
One family had actually the incomprehensible courage to write to the Marquis de Boiscoran for three tickets, promising, in return, "by their attitude in court" to contribute to the acquittal of the accused. In the midst of all these rumors, the city was suddenly startled by a list of subscriptions in behalf of the families of the unfortunate firemen who had perished in the fire at Valpinson.
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