me is a
crapulous one?" the magistrate proceeded to enquire.

"Merely that it cannot have been committed by Charles Rambert," Juve
answered very gravely. "He is a young man who has been well brought up,
he comes of very good stock, and his age makes it most improbable that
he can be a professional criminal."

"Obviously, obviously!" murmured the magistrate, not a little
embarrassed by the keen logic of the detective.

"And now let us consider the motive or motives of the crime," Juve
continued. "Why did the man commit this murder?"

"Doubtless for purposes of robbery," said the magistrate.

"What did he want to steal?" Juve retorted. "As a matter of fact, Mme.
de Langrune's diamond rings and watch and purse were all found on her
table, in full view of everybody; in the drawers that had been broken
open I found other jewels, over twenty pounds in gold and silver, and
three bank-notes in a card-case. What is your view, sir, of a crapulous
robber who sees valuables like that within his reach, and who does not
take them?"

"It is certainly surprising," the magistrate admitted.

"Very surprising; and goes to show that although the crime in itself is
a common, sordid one, the criminal may have had higher, or at any rate
different, aspirations from those which would lead an ordinary ruffian
to commit murder for the sake of robbery. The age and social position
and personality of Mme. de Langrune make it very unlikely that she had
enemies, or was the object of vengeance, and therefore if she was got
rid of, it was very likely that she might be robbed--but robbed of what?
Was there something more important than money or jewels to be got? I
frankly admit that although I put the question I am at a loss how to
answer it."

"Obviously," murmured the magistrate again, still more puzzled by all
these logical deductions.

Juve proceeded with the development of his ideas.

"And now suppose we are face to face with a crime committed without any
motive, as a result of some morbid impulse, a by no means uncommon
occurrence, monomania or temporary insanity?

"In that case, although, in consequence of the crapulous nature of the
crime, I had previously dismissed the very serious presumption of guilt
attaching to young Rambert, I should be inclined to reconsider my
opinion and think it possible that he might be the culprit. We know very
little about the young fellow from the physiological point of view; in
fact we don't know him