boarding-house.

As he was seated directly behind the manservant, Jules, Fandor had a
view of his broad back, surmounted by a big bullet head and ruffled
hair. This witness spoke with a strong Picardy accent, and there was
nothing remarkable about his answers: he seemed the conventional
second-rate type of servant. He did not seem to have understood much of
what occurred on the famous day: when questioned as to the order of
events, his answers were vague, uncertain.

Then, seated beside Fandor were the bankers: Barbey, a grave-looking
man, no longer young, judging by his beard, which was going grey; he was
decorated with the Legion of Honour: the other, Nanteuil, looked about
thirty, elegant, distinguished, lively. These two were well known in the
highest Parisian society as representing finance of the best kind. They
were highly thought of.

The magistrate asked the bankers a question.

"Why," asked he, "did Messieurs Barbey-Nanteuil call on Mademoiselle
Dollon? Was it to bring her some help, as has been stated?"

Elizabeth blushed with humiliation at the magistrate's question.
Monsieur Nanteuil answered:

"There is a slight distinction to be made, your Honour, and Mademoiselle
Dollon certainly will not object to our mentioning it. It never entered
our minds to offer Mademoiselle Dollon charity--charity she never asked
of us, be it clearly understood. Mademoiselle Dollon, with whom we had
previously been acquainted, whose misfortunes have inspired us with deep
sympathy, wrote to ask us if we could find her some employment. Hoping
to find some post for her, we came to see her, to talk with her, to find
out what her capabilities were. That is all. We were very glad it so
happened, that we were able to aid Monsieur Fandor in restoring her to
life."

"Can you tell me, Monsieur Fandor, did you notice anything suspicious in
Mademoiselle Dollon's room when you entered it? You wrote, in your
article, that at first you had thought it simply an attempted burglary,
followed by an attempted murder?"

"That is so," replied Fandor. "Directly the window was opened, I leaned
out: I wanted to see if there was anything suspicious on the wall of the
house. I also looked behind the shutters."

"Why?" asked the examining magistrate.

"Because I had not forgotten the close of the Thomery drama--the same
Monsieur Thomery mentioned in the Assize Court yesterday--oh, in all
honour, of course; but you have not forgotten--although t