"
"It was on Jacques's account, sir, that I went. The youngster has grown
to be a man; and he wants to marry. For that, his mother's consent was
necessary; and I was taking to Claudine a document which the notary had
drawn up, and which she signed. This is it."
M. Daburon took the paper, and appeared to read it attentively. After
a moment he asked: "Have you thought who could have assassinated your
wife?"
Lerouge made no reply.
"Do you suspect any one?" persisted the magistrate.
"Well, sir," replied the sailor, "what can I say? I thought that
Claudine had wearied out the people from whom she drew money, like water
from a well; or else getting drunk one day, she had blabbed too freely."
The testimony being as complete as possible, M. Daburon dismissed
Lerouge, at the same time telling him to wait for Gevrol, who would take
him to a hotel, where he might wait, at the disposal of justice, until
further orders.
"All your expenses will be paid you," added the magistrate.
Lerouge had scarcely left, when an extraordinary, unheard of,
unprecedented event took place in the magistrate's office. Constant, the
serious, impressive, immovable, deaf and dumb Constant, rose from his
seat and spoke.
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