told Jacques."

But the doctor was not the man to be surprised at what public opinion
said, much less to fear it. He exclaimed,--

"Don't you hear what I say? Don't you understand me? The proof that
the thing is neither so incredible nor so impossible is, that I had
suspected it. And there were signs of it, I should think. Why on earth
should a man like Jacques, young, rich, well made, in love with a
charming girl, and beloved by her, why should he amuse himself with
setting houses on fire, and killing people? You tell me he did not
like Count Claudieuse. Upon my word! If everybody who does not like Dr.
Seignebos were to come and fire at him forthwith, do you know my body
would look like a sieve! Among you all, M. Folgat is the only one who
has not been struck with blindness."

The young lawyer tried modestly to protest.

"Sir"--

But the other cut him short, and went on,--

"Yes, sir, you saw it all; and the proof of it is, that you at once went
to work in search of the real motive, the heart,--in fine, the woman at
the bottom of the riddle. The proof of it is, that you went and asked
everybody,--Anthony, M. de Chandore, M. Seneschal, and myself,--if M. de
Boiscoran had not now, or had not had, some love-affair in the country.
They all said No, being far from suspecting the truth. I alone, without
giving you a positive answer, told you that I thought as you did, and
told you so in M. de Chandore's presence."

"That is so!" replied the old gentleman and M. Folgat.

Dr. Seignebos was triumphant. Gesticulating, and continually handling
his spectacles, he added,--

"You see I have learnt to mistrust appearances; and hence I had my
misgivings from the beginning. I watched the Countess Claudieuse the
night of the fire; and I saw that she looked embarrassed, troubled,
suspicious. I wondered at her readiness to yield to M. Galpin's whim,
and to allow Cocoleu to be examined; for I knew that she was the only
one who could ever make that so-called idiot talk. You see I have good
eyes, gentlemen, in spite of my spectacles. Well, I swear by all I hold
most sacred, on my Republican faith, I am ready to affirm upon oath,
that, when Cocoleu uttered Jacques de Boiscoran's name, the countess
exhibited no sign of surprise."

Never before, in their life, had the mayor of Sauveterre and Dr.
Seignebos been able to agree on any subject. This question was not
likely to produce such an effect all of a sudden: hence M. Seneschal
s