o
nothing. That being the case, my course was soon taken. That same day, I
sold the fatal meadow, and sent the proceeds of it to Claudine, wishing
to keep nothing of the price of shame. I then had a document drawn up,
authorising her to administer our property, but not allowing her either
to sell or mortgage it. Then I wrote her a letter in which I told her
that she need never expect to hear of me again, that I was nothing more
to her, and that she might look upon herself as a widow. That same night
I went away with my son."

"And what became of your wife after your departure?"

"I cannot say, sir; I only know that she quitted the neighbourhood a
year after I did."

"You have never lived with her since?"

"Never."

"But you were at her house three days before the crime was committed."

"That is true, but it was absolutely necessary. I had had much trouble
to find her, no one knew what had become of her. Fortunately my notary
was able to procure Madame Gerdy's address; he wrote to her, and that
is how I learnt that Claudine was living at La Jonchere. I was then at
Rome. Captain Gervais, who is a friend of mine, offered to take me to
Paris on his boat, and I accepted. Ah, sir, what a shock I experienced
when I entered her house! My wife did not know me! By constantly telling
everyone that I was dead, she had without a doubt ended by believing
it herself. When I told her my name, she fell back in her chair. The
wretched woman had not changed in the least; she had by her side a glass
and a bottle of brandy--"

"All this doesn't explain why you went to seek your wife."

"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, w