“I myself, terrified by what I had done, shattered by the remembrance of my two victims, changed my plans and thought only of saving Marie by contriving her escape from prison....

“I am a rich man.  I lavished money upon Marie’s warders, without, however, revealing my intentions.  I entered into relations with the prison tradesmen and the staff of the infirmary.  And every day, having procured a card of admission as a law reporter, I went to the law courts, to the examining magistrates’ corridor, where I hoped to meet Marie, to encourage her with a look, a gesture, perhaps to slip a few words of comfort into her hand....”

Sauverand moved closer to Don Luis.

“Her martyrdom continued.  You struck her a most terrible blow with that mysterious business of Hippolyte Fauville’s letters.  What did those letters mean?  Where did they come from?  Were we not entitled to attribute the whole plot to you, to you who introduced them into the horrible struggle?

“Florence watched you, I may say, night and day.  We sought for a clue, a glimmer of light in the darkness....  Well, yesterday morning, Florence saw Sergeant Mazeroux arrive.  She could not overhear what he said to you, but she caught the name of a certain Langernault and the name of Damigni, the village where Langernault lived.  She remembered that old friend of Hippolyte Fauville’s.  Were the letters not addressed to him and was it not in search of him that you were going off in the motor with Sergeant Mazeroux?...

“Half an hour later we were in the train for Alencon.  A carriage took us from the station to just outside Damigni, where we made our inquiries with every possible precaution.  On learning what you must also know, that Langernault was dead, we resolved to visit his place, and we had succeeded in effecting an entrance when Florence saw you in the grounds.  Wishing at all costs to avoid a meeting between you and myself, she dragged me across the lawn and behind the bushes.  You followed us, however, and when a barn appeared in sight she pushed one of the doors which half opened and let us through.  We managed to slip quickly through the lumber in the dark and knocked up against a ladder.  This we climbed and reached a loft in which we took shelter.  You entered at that moment....

“You know the rest:  how you discovered the two hanging skeletons; how your attention was drawn to us by an imprudent movement of Florence; your attack, to which I replied by brandishing the first weapon with which chance provided me; lastly, our flight through the window in the roof, under the fire of your revolver.  We were free.  But in the evening, in the train, Florence fainted.  While bringing her to I perceived that one of your bullets had wounded her in the shoulder.  The wound was slight and did not hurt her, but it was enough to increase the extreme tension of her nerves.  When you saw us—­at Le Mans station wasn’t it?—­she was asleep, with her head on my shoulder.”