all
those delays are fatal to justice! Why if all the world were of my mind,
the punishment of rascals wouldn't take such a time. They should be
hanged as soon as caught. That's my opinion."
M. Daburon resigned himself to this shower of words. As soon as the old
fellow's excitement had cooled down a little, he began questioning him.
He even then had great trouble in obtaining the exact details of the
arrest; details which later on were confirmed by the commissary's
official report.
The magistrate appeared very surprised when he heard that Albert had
exclaimed, "I am lost!" at sight of the warrant. "That," muttered he,
"is a terrible proof against him."
"I should think so," replied old Tabaret. "In his ordinary state, he
would never have allowed himself to utter such words; for they in fact
destroy him. We arrested him when he was scarcely awake. He hadn't been
in bed, but was lying in a troubled sleep, upon a sofa, when we arrived.
I took good care to let a frightened servant ran in advance, and to
follow closely upon him myself, to see the effect. All my arrangements
were made. But, never fear, he will find a plausible excuse for this
fatal exclamation. By the way, I should add that we found on the floor,
near by, a crumpled copy of last evening's 'Gazette de France,' which
contained an account of the assassination. This is the first time that a
piece of news in the papers ever helped to nab a criminal."
"Yes," murmured the magistrate, deep in thought, "yes, you are a
valuable man, M. Tabaret." Then, louder, he added, "I am thoroughly
convinced; for M. Gerdy has just this moment left me."
"You have seen Noel!" cried the old fellow. On the instant all his proud
self-satisfaction disappeared. A cloud of anxiety spread itself like
a veil over his beaming countenance. "Noel here," he repeated. Then he
timidly added: "And does he know?"
"Nothing," replied M. Daburon. "I had no need of mentioning your name.
Besides, had I not promised absolute secrecy?"
"Ah, that's all right," cried old Tabaret. "And what do you think sir,
of Noel?"
"His is, I am sure, a noble, worthy heart," said the magistrate; "a
nature both strong and tender. The sentiments which I heard him express
here, and the genuineness of which it is impossible to doubt, manifested
an elevation of soul, unhappily, very rare. Seldom in my life have I met
with a man who so won my sympathy from the first. I can well understand
one's pride in being a
|