told of the symptoms said before the servants to
Sainfray the notary that it would be necessary to examine the body. An
hour later George disappeared, saying nothing to anybody, and not even
asking for his wages. Suspicions were excited; but again they remained
vague. The autopsy showed a state of things not precisely to be called
peculiar to poisoning cases the intestines, which the fatal poison had
not had time to burn as in the case of the d'Aubrays, were marked with
reddish spots like flea-bites. In June Penautier obtained the post that
had been held by the Sieur de Saint-Laurent.

But the widow had certain suspicions which were changed into something
like certainty by George's flight. A particular circumstance aided and
almost confirmed her doubts. An abbe who was a friend of her husband,
and knew all about the disappearance of George, met him some days
afterwards in the rue des Masons, near the Sorbonne. They were both on
the same side, and a hay-cart coming along the street was causing a
block. George raised his head and saw the abbe, knew him as a friend of
his late master, stooped under the cart and crawled to the other side,
thus at the risk of being crushed escaping from the eyes of a man whose
appearance recalled his crime and inspired him with fear of punishment.
Madame de Saint-Laurent preferred a charge against George, but though he
was sought for everywhere, he could never be found. Still the report of
these strange deaths, so sudden and so incomprehensible, was bruited
about Paris, and people began to feel frightened. Sainte-Croix, always
in the gay world, encountered the talk in drawing-rooms, and began to
feel a little uneasy. True, no suspicion pointed as yet in his
direction; but it was as well to take precautions, and Sainte-Croix began
to consider how he could be freed from anxiety. There was a post in the
king's service soon to be vacant, which would cost 100,000 crowns; and
although Sainte-Croix had no apparent means, it was rumoured that he was
about to purchase it. He first addressed himself to Belleguise to treat
about this affair with Penautier. There was some difficulty, however, to
be encountered in this quarter. The sum was a large one, and Penautier
no longer required help; he had already come into all the inheritance he
looked for, and so he tried to throw cold water on the project.

Sainte-Croix thus wrote to Belleguise:

"DEAR FRIEND,--Is it possible that you need any m