Part 30
“I say that we must find some tangible proof before asking permission to proceed further--” Lecoq paused with knitted brows. An idea had occurred to him. He fancied he could prove complicity between at least one of the witnesses summoned to give evidence, and some member of the duke’s household. He was indeed thinking of Madame Milner, the landlady of the Hotel de Mariembourg, and of his first meeting with her. He saw her again, in his mind’s eye, standing on a chair, her face on a level with a cage, covered with a large piece of black silk, while she persistently repeated three or four German words to a starling, who with equal persistency retorted: “Camille! Where is Camille?” “One thing is certain,” exclaimed Lecoq aloud, “if Madame Milner--who is a German, and who speaks French with the strongest possible German accent--had reared this bird, it would either have spoken in German or else in French, and in the latter case with the same accent as its mistress. So it can’t have been in her possession long; but then who can have given it to her?”
Father Absinthe was beginning to grow impatient “In sober earnest, what are you talking about?” he asked, petulantly.
“I say that if there is any one at the Hotel de Sairmeuse named Camille, I have the proof I wish for. Come, Papa Absinthe, let us hurry on.” And without another word of explanation, he dragged his companion rapidly towards the Seine.
When they reached the Rue de Grenelle, Lecoq perceived a commissionaire leaning against the door of a wine-shop. He walked straight towards him. “Come, my good fellow,” said he. “I want you to go to the Hotel de Sairmeuse and ask for Camille. Tell her that her uncle is waiting for her here.”
“But, sir----”
“What, you haven’t gone yet?”
The messenger started off, and the two police agents entered the wine-shop, Father Absinthe scarcely having time to swallow a glass of brandy before the envoy returned. “I was unable to see Mademoiselle Camille,” said he. “The house is closed from top to bottom. The duchess died very suddenly this morning.”
“Ah! the wretch!” exclaimed the young police agent. Then controlling himself, he mentally added: “He must have killed his wife on returning home, but his fate is sealed. Now, I shall be allowed to continue my investigations.”
In less than twenty minutes they arrived at the Palais de Justice. M. Segmuller did not seem to be immoderately surprised by Lecoq’s revelations, though he listened with evident doubt to the young police agent’s ingenious deductions; it was the circumstance of the starling which at last decided him. “Perhaps you are right, my dear Lecoq,” he said, “and to tell the truth, I quite agree with you. But I can take no further action in the matter until you can furnish proof so convincing in its nature that the Duke de Sairmeuse will be unable to think of denying it.”
“Ah! sir, my superiors won’t allow me--”
“On the contrary,” interrupted the magistrate, “they will allow you the fullest liberty after I have spoken to them.” Such action on M. Segmuller’s part, required no little courage; for in official circles there had been considerable merriment over the magistrate’s mysterious man with the iron mask, disguised as a mountebank; and the former by his persistent support of the young detective’s theories, had almost become an object of ridicule.
“And when will you speak to them?” timidly inquired Lecoq.
“At once.”
The magistrate had already turned towards the door when the young police agent stopped him. “I have one more favour to ask you, sir,” he said, entreatingly. “You are so kind, you are the first person who has given me any encouragement--who has had any faith in me.”
“Speak, my good fellow.”
“Ah! sir, will you give me a message for M. d’Escorval? Any insignificant message--inform him of the prisoner’s escape. I will take it myself, and then--Oh! fear nothing, sir; I will be very prudent.”
“Very well!” replied the magistrate, “I will write him a note.”
When he finally left the office, Lecoq was fully authorized to proceed with his investigations, and he carried in his pocket M. Segmuller’s letter to M. d’Escorval. His satisfaction was so intense that he did not deign to notice the sneers bestowed upon him as he passed along the corridors; but on the threshold downstairs he encountered Gevrol the general, who was evidently watching for him. “Ah ha!” laughed the inspector, as Lecoq passed out, “here’s one of those simpletons who fish for whales and don’t even catch a gudgeon.”
For an instant Lecoq felt angry. He turned round abruptly and looked Gevrol full in the face. “At all events,” retorted he in the tone of a man _who_ knows what he’s saying. “That’s better than assisting prisoners to carry on a surreptitious correspondence with people outside.”
In his surprise, Gevrol almost lost countenance, and his blush was equivalent to a confession. But Lecoq did not add another word. What did it matter to him now if Gevrol had betrayed him! Was he not about to win a glorious revenge!
He spent the remainder of the day in preparing his plan of action, and in thinking what he should say when he took M. Segmuller’s note to Maurice d’Escorval. The next morning at about eleven o’clock he presented himself at the latter’s house. “M. d’Escorval is in his study with a young man,” replied the servant to the young detective’s inquiry, “but, as he gave me no orders to the contrary, you may go in.”
Lecoq entered, but found the study unoccupied. From the adjoining room, however, only separated from the study by velvet hangings, came a sound of stifled exclamations, of sobs mingled with kisses. Not knowing whether to remain or to retire, the young police-agent stood for a moment undecided; when suddenly he perceived an open letter lying on the carpet. Impelled by an impulse stronger than his will, Lecoq picked the letter up, and his eyes meeting the signature, he started back in surprise. He could not now refrain from reading this missive which ran as follows:
“The bearer of this letter is Marie-Anne’s son--your son, Maurice. I have given him all the proofs necessary to establish his identity. It was to his education that I consecrated poor Marie-Anne’s inheritance. Those to whose care I confided him have made a noble man of him. If I restore him to you, it is only because the life I lead is not a fitting life for him. Yesterday, the miserable woman who murdered my sister died from poison administered by her own hand. Poor Marie-Anne! she would have been far more terribly avenged had not an accident which happened to me saved the Duke and the Duchess de Sairmeuse from the snare into which I had drawn them.
“JEAN LACHENEUR.”
Lecoq stood as if petrified. Now he understood the terrible drama enacted in the Widow Chupin’s cabin. “I must go to Sairmeuse at once,” he said to himself; “there I can discover everything.” He left the room without seeing M. d’Escorval, and even successfully resisted the temptation to take Lacheneur’s letter with him.
Exactly a month had transpired since Blanche’s death. His grace the Duke de Sairmeuse was reclining on a divan in his library, reading one of his favourite authors, when Otto his valet de chambre came in to inform him that a messenger was below, charged with delivering into his grace’s own hands a letter from M. d’Escorval.
Martial sprang to his feet. “It is impossible,” he exclaimed; and then he quickly added: “Let the messenger come up.”
A tall man, with florid complexion, and red hair and beard, timidly handed the duke a letter. Martial instantly broke the seal, and read:
“I saved you, monsieur, by not recognizing the prisoner.
May. In your turn assist me. By noon on the day after to-morrow, I must have two hundred and sixty thousand francs. I have sufficient confidence in your honour to apply to you.
“MAURICE D’ESCORVAL.”
For a moment Martial stood bewildered, then springing to a table he began writing, without noticing that the messenger was looking over his shoulder: “Monsieur--Not the day after to-morrow, but this evening, what you ask will be at your service. My fortune and my life are at your disposal. It is but a slight return for the generosity shown by you in withdrawing, when, under the rags of May, you recognized your former enemy, but now your devoted friend.
“MARTIAL DE SAIRMEUSE.”
The duke folded this letter with a feverish hand, and giving it to the messenger with a louis, he said: “Here is the answer, make haste!”
But the messenger did not stir. He slipped the letter into his pocket, and then hastily cast his red beard and wig on the floor.
“Lecoq!” exclaimed Martial, paler than death.
“Lecoq, yes, sir,” replied the young detective. “I was obliged to take my revenge; my future depended on it, and so I ventured to imitate M. d’Escorval’s writing.” And as Martial offered no remark: “I must also say to Monsieur le Duc,” he continued, “that if your grace will transmit a confession of your presence at the Poivriere in your own hand-writing to the investigating magistrate I can and will at the same time furnish proofs of your grace’s innocence--that you were dragged into a snare, and that you only acted in self-defense.”
Martial looked up in fair astonishment, but to show that he was acquainted with everything, Lecoq slowly added: “As madame is dead, there will be nothing said concerning what took place at the Borderie.”
A week later a private report setting forth that there were no grounds to proceed against the Duke de Sairmeuse was forwarded by M. Segmuller to the public prosecutor.
Appointed to the position of inspector, which he coveted. Lecoq had the good taste, or perhaps, the shrewdness, to wear his honours modestly. But on the day of his promotion, he ordered a seal, on which was engraved the exultant rooster, his chosen armorial design, with a motto to which he ever remained faithful: “_Semper Vigilans_.”
FINIS.
* * * * *
Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:
acticles=> acticles {pg 6}
he broached the subject fo the duke=> he broached the subject to the duke {pg 14}
The Marquise de Sairmeuse will be our spy=> The Marquis de Sairmeuse will be our spy {pg 31}
exclaimed Lacheneur, in amazment;=> exclaimed Lacheneur, in amazement; {pg 38}
The last trial had overwhelmd her=> The last trial had overwhelmed her {pg 58}
Marquis de Courtoruieu had closed=> Marquis de Courtornieu had closed {pg 69}
Blanche de Courtorneiu had reached Montaignac=> Blanche de Courtornieu had reached Montaignac {pg 73}
knew of his imfamous intentions=> knew of his infamous intentions {pg 88}
his frequent nocturnal jonrneys=> his frequent nocturnal journeys {pg 89}
looking angrily at the sqectators=> looking angrily at the spectators {pg 90}
since it it absolutely necessary=> since it is absolutely necessary {pg 91}
as motionless as a statute=> as motionless as a statue {pg 109}
a soldier’s assistence is indispensable=> a soldier’s assistance is indispensable {pg 112}
The frontior bordering on Savoy=> The frontier bordering on Savoy {pg 127}
the military commision=> the military commission {pg 127}
he could scarely move them=> he could scarcely move them {pg 128}
It wont be easy to save you=> It won’t be easy to save you {pg 134}
Martial turned crimson, and look searchingly=> Martial turned crimson, and looked searchingly {pg 143}
Peoble told me=> People told me {pg 148}
there was the ask of misleading=> there was the task of misleading {pg 163}
did he breathe freeely=> did he breathe freely {pg 174}
that is not yet noon=> that it is not yet noon {pg 182}
the guards accompained him=> the guards accompanied him {pg 182}
Oh the morrow he scarcely ate=> On the morrow he scarcely ate {pg 188}
The abbe atributed this sudden=> The abbe attributed this sudden {pg 194}
She had commited=> She had committed {pg 234}
assumed and attitude=> assumed an attitude {pg 238}
the Baron d’Escoval’s terrible=> the Baron d’Escorval’s terrible {pg 238}
thay found him standing=> they found him standing {pg 249}
Am I to undersatand that Marie-Anne=> Am I to understand that Marie-Anne {pg 250}
in the pocket of of her dress=> in the pocket of her dress {pg 254}
after this occurance=> after this occurrence {pg 260}
He has so impatient to reach=> He was so impatient to reach {pg 273}
the clamours of conscience was sinking=> the clamours of conscience were sinking {pg 274}
The patients delirium => The patient’s delirium {pg 287}
Ducnesse de Sairmeuse=> Duchesse de Sairmeuse {pg 288}
the crime she had commited=> the crime she had committed {pg 291}
the happiness which when would have been his=> the happiness which then would have been his {pg 293}
formerely so irritably=> formerly so irritably {pg 293}
urging no the crowd=> urging on the crowd {pg 294}
the duke’s houshold=> the duke’s household {pg 309}