The investigation became embittered like
a personal matter.
In fact, were the prisoner innocent, he would become inexcusable in his
own eyes; and, in proportion as he reproached himself the more severely,
and as the knowledge of his own failings grew, he felt the more disposed
to try everything to conquer his former rival, even to abusing his own
power. The logic of events urged him on. It seemed as though his honour
itself was at stake; and he displayed a passionate activity, such as he
had never before been known to show in any investigation.
M. Daburon passed all Sunday in listening to the reports of the
detectives he had sent to Bougival.
They had spared no trouble, they stated, but they could report nothing
new.
They had heard many people speak of a woman, who pretended, they said,
to have seen the assassin leave Widow Lerouge's cottage; but no one
had been able to point this woman out to them, or even to give them her
name.
They all thought it their duty, however, to inform the magistrate that
another inquiry was going on at the same time as theirs. It was directed
by M. Tabaret, who personally scoured the country round about in a
cabriolet drawn by a very swift horse.
Pages:
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435