Who can say that she has not obliged other
persons who had an equal interest in getting rid of her? There is a
secret, I am getting at it, but I do not hold it yet. One thing is
certain though, she was not assassinated to prevent Noel recovering his
rights. She must have been suppressed for some analogous reason, by a
bold and experienced scoundrel, prompted by similar motives to those
of which I suspected Albert. It is, then, in that direction that I must
follow up the case now. And, above all, I must obtain the past history
of this obliging widow, and I will have it too, for in all probability
the particulars which have been written for from her birthplace will
arrive tomorrow."
Returning to Albert, old Tabaret weighed the charges which were brought
against the young man, and reckoned the chances which he still had in
favour of his release.
"From the look of things," he murmured, "I see only luck and myself,
that is to say absolutely nothing, in his favor at present. As to the
charges, they are countless. However, it is no use going over them.
It is I who amassed them; and I know what they are worth! At once
everything and nothing.
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