The magistrate slowly raised, one by one, the large pieces of paper that
covered the articles seized in Albert's rooms.
"We will pass," he continued, "to the examination of the charges which
weigh against you. Will you please come nearer? Do you recognize these
articles as belonging to yourself?"
"Yes, sir, they are all mine."
"Well, take this foil. Who broke it?"
"I, sir, in fencing with M. de Courtivois, who can bear witness to it."
"He will be heard. Where is the broken end?"
"I do not know. You must ask Lubin, my valet."
"Exactly. He declares that he has hunted for it, and cannot find it. I
must tell you that the victim received the fatal blow from the sharpened
end of a broken foil. This piece of stuff, on which the assassin wiped
his weapon, is a proof of what I state."
"I beseech you, sir, to order a most minute search to be made. It is
impossible that the other half of the foil is not to be found."
"Orders shall be given to that effect. Look, here is the exact imprint
of the murderer's foot traced on this sheet of paper. I will place one
of your boots upon it and the sole, as you perceive, fits the tracing
with the utmost precision.
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