Ah, Tremorel is a
great rascal! Don't you see now why he put forward the hands? At
first I didn't perceive the object of advancing the time five hours;
now it is clear. In order to implicate Guespin the crime must
appear to have been committed after midnight, and--"
He suddenly checked himself and stopped with open mouth and fixed
eyes as a new idea crossed his mind. The judge, who was bending
over his papers trying to find something to sustain his position,
did not perceive this.
"But then," said the latter, "how do you explain Guespin's refusal
to speak and to give an account of where he spent the night?"
M. Lecoq had now recovered from his emotion, and Dr. Gendron and M.
Plantat, who were watching him with the deepest attention, saw a
triumphant light in his eyes. Doubtless he had just found a
solution of the problem which had been put to him.
"I understand," replied he, "and can explain Guespin's obstinate
silence. I should be perfectly amazed if he decided to speak just
now."
M. Domini misconstrued the meaning of this; he thought he saw in it
a covert intention to banter him.
"He has had a night to reflect upon it," he answered.
Pages:
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405