t commission with
Victor Chupin.

However, the magistrate had already resumed his dictation: "And at this
moment we have affixed bands of white tape, sealed at either end with
red wax, bearing the impress of our seal as justice of the peace, to
wit: In the aforesaid chamber of the deceased: First, A band of tape,
covering the keyhole of the lock of the escritoire, which had been
previously opened by a locksmith summoned by us, and closed again by the
said locksmith----" And so the magistrate and his clerk went from
one piece of furniture to another, duly specifying in the report each
instance in which the seals were affixed.

From the count's bedroom they passed into his study, followed by
Mademoiselle Marguerite, Madame Leon, and the servants. By noon every
article of furniture in which M. de Chalusse would have been likely
to deposit his valuables or a will, had been searched, and nothing,
absolutely nothing, had been found. The magistrate had pursued his
investigation with the feverish energy which the most self-possessed
of men are apt to display under such circumstances, especially when
influenced by the conviction that the object they are seeking is
somewhere within their reach, perhaps under their very hand. Indeed, he
was persuaded--he was sure--he would, in fact, have sworn that the Count
de Chalusse had taken all the precautions natural in childless men,
who have no near relatives to inherit their fortune, or who have placed
their interest and affections beyond their family circle. And when he
was obliged to abandon his search, his gesture indicated anger rather
than discouragement; for apparent evidence had not shaken his conviction
in the least. So he stood motionless, with his eyes riveted on his ring,
as if waiting some miraculous inspiration from it. "For the count's
only fault, I am sure, was in being too cautious," he muttered. "This is
frequently the case, and it would be quite in keeping with the character
of this man, judging from what I know of him."

Madame Leon lifted her hands to heaven. "Ah, yes! such was, indeed, his
nature," she remarked, approvingly. "Never, no never, have I seen such
a suspicious and distrustful person as he was. Not in reference to
money--no, indeed--for he left that lying about everywhere; but about
his papers. He locked them up with the greatest care, as if he feared
that some terrible secret might evaporate from them. It was a mania with
him. If he had a letter to wri