ors cutting the muscles. That
wound, which had let out his life, that large wound, like a monstrous
and grimacing mouth, they enlarged still more; the head oscillated from
side to side, and they were obliged to prop it with some mats. The eyes
remained the same, and, in spite of the hours which had passed, seemed
as living, as menacing and eloquent as the night before; they were,
however, veiled with something vitreous over the pupils, like the
amaurosis of death, yet full of that anger, of that fright, or that
ferocious malediction which was reproduced in a startling manner in the
negatives taken by Bernardet.

"The secret of the crime is in that look," thought the police agent.
"Those eyes see, those eyes speak; they tell what they know, they accuse
some one."

Then, while the professor, his associates and his students went on with
the autopsy, exchanging observations, following in the mutilated body,
their researches for the truth, trying to be very accurate as to the
nature of the wound, the form even of the knife with which it was made,
Bernardet softly approached the Examining Magistrate and in a low tone,
timidly, respectfully, he spoke some words, which were insistent,
however, and pressing, urging the Magistrate to quickly interfere.

"Ah! Monsieur le Juge, this is the moment; you who can do
everything"----

The Examining Magistrate has, with us, absolute power. He does whatever
seems to him best. And he wishes to do a thing, because he wishes to do
it. M. Ginory, curious by nature and because it was his duty,
hesitated, scratched his ear, rubbed his nose, bit his lips, listened to
the supplicating murmur of the police officer; but decided not to speak
just then, and continued gazing with a fixed stare at the dead man.

This thought came to him, moreover, insistent and imperious, that he was
there to testify in all things in favor of that truth, the discovery of
which imposed upon him--and suddenly, his sharp voice interrupted the
surgeon's work.

"Messieurs, does not the expression of the open eyes strike you?"

"Yes; they express admirably the most perfect agony," M. Morin replied.

"And does it not seem," asked the Examining Magistrate, "as if they were
fixed with that expression on the murderer?"

"Without doubt! The mouth seems to curse and the eyes to menace."

"And what if the last image seen, in fact, that of the murderer, still
remains upon the retina of the eyes?"

M. Morin looked at the