The heirs of a man assassinated are in reality all
benefited by the murder; while the assassin obtains at most the victim's
watch and purse. Three persons were interested in Widow Lerouge's
death:--Albert, Madame Gerdy, and the Count de Commarin. It is plain to
me that Albert is not the criminal. It is not Madame Gerdy, who is dying
from the shock caused by the unexpected announcement of the crime. There
remains, then, the Count. Can it be he? If so, he certainly did not do
it himself. He must have hired some wretch, a wretch of good position,
if you please, wearing patent leather boots of a good make, and smoking
trabucos cigars with an amber mouth-piece. These well-dressed
villains ordinarily lack nerve. They cheat, they forge; but they don't
assassinate. Supposing, though, that the count did get hold of some
dare-devil fellow. He would simply have replaced one accomplice by
another still more dangerous. That would be idiotic, and the count is a
sensible man. He, therefore, had nothing whatever to do with the matter.
To be quite sure though, I will make some inquiries about him. Another
thing, Widow Lerouge, who so readily exchanged the children while
nursing them, would be very likely to undertake a number of other
dangerous commissions.
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