and the task
difficult. Monsieur Sauvresy's body is to be disinterred."

Robelot was certainly prepared for something strange, and he was
armed with all his audacity. But the name of Sauvresy fell upon
his head like the stroke of a club, and he stammered, in a choked
voice:

"Sauvresy!"

M. Plantat had already turned his head, and continued in an
indifferent tone:

"Yes, Sauvresy is to be exhumed. It is suspected that his death
was not wholly a natural one. You see, justice always has its
suspicions."

Robelot leaned against the wall so as not to fall. M. Plantat
proceeded:

"So Doctor Gendron has been applied to. He has, as you know, found
reactive drugs which betray the presence of an alkaloid, whatever
it may be, in the substances submitted to him for analysis. He has
spoken to me of a certain sensitive paper--"

Appealing to all his energy, Robelot forced himself to stand up and
resume a calm countenance.

"I know Doctor Gendron's process," said he, "but I don't see who
could be capable of the suspicions of which you speak."

"I think there are more than suspicions," resumed M. Plantat.
"Madame de Tremorel, you know, has been murdered: her papers have,
of course, been examined; letters have been found, with very
damaging revelations, receipts, and so on."

Robelot, apparently, was once more self-possessed; he forced himself
to answer:

"Bast! let us hope that justice is in the wrong."

Then, such was this man's self-control, despite a nervous trembling
which shook his whole body as the wind does the leaves, that he
added, constraining his thin lips to form a smile:

"Madame Courtois does not come down; I am waited for at home, and
will drop in again to-morrow. Good-evening, gentlemen."

He walked away, and soon the sand in the court was heard creaking
with his steps. As he went, he staggered like a drunken man.

M. Lecoq went up to M. Plantat, and taking off his hat:

"I surrender," said he, "and bow to you; you are great, like my
master, the great Tabaret."

The detective's amour-propre was clearly aroused; his professional
zeal was inspired; he found himself before a great crime--one of
those crimes which triple the sale of the Gazette of the Courts.
Doubtless many of its details escaped him: he was ignorant of the
starting-point; but he saw the way clearing before him. He had
surprised Plantat's theory, and had followed the train of his
thought step by step; thus he discovered the complic