had a very important appointment.

At dinner he ate a little more than on the previous days. He even asked
the butler for a bottle of Chateau-Lafitte, the whole of which he drank
himself. While taking his coffee, he smoked a cigar in the dining room,
contrary to the rules of the house. At half-past seven, according to
Joseph and two footmen, or at eight according to the Swiss porter and
Lubin, the viscount went out on foot, taking an umbrella with him. He
returned home at two o'clock in the morning, and at once dismissed his
valet, who had waited up for him.

On entering the viscount's room on the Wednesday, the valet was struck
with the condition in which he found his master's clothes. They were
wet, and stained with mud; the trousers were torn. He ventured to make
a remark about them. Albert replied, in a furious manner, "Throw the old
things in a corner, ready to be given away."

He appeared to be much better all that day. He breakfasted with a good
appetite; and the butler noticed that he was in excellent spirits. He
passed the afternoon in the library, and burnt a pile of papers.

On the Thursday, he again seemed very unwell. He was scarcely able to go
and meet the count. That evening, after his interview with his father,
he went to his room looking extremely ill. Lubin wanted to run for the
doctor: he forbade him to do so, or to mention to any one that he was
not well.

Such was the substance of twenty large pages, which the tall clerk
had covered with writing, without once turning his head to look at the
witnesses who passed by in their fine livery.

M. Daburon managed to obtain this evidence in less than two hours.
Though well aware of the importance of their testimony, all these
servants were very voluble. The difficulty was, to stop them when they
had once started. From all they said, it appeared that Albert was a very
good master,--easily served, kind and polite to his servants. Wonderful
to relate! there were found only three among them who did not appear
perfectly delighted at the misfortune which had befallen the family.
Two were greatly distressed. M. Lubin, although he had been an object of
especial kindness, was not one of these.

The turn of the commissary of police had now come. In a few words, he
gave an account of the arrest, already described by old Tabaret. He did
not forget to mention the one word "Lost," which had escaped Albert; to
his mind, it was a confession. He then delivered all th