Part 16 (2/2)
The doc.u.ments in question lay on a table, as _pieces justificatives_.
”These cards, that letter, you have robbed them from some unfortunate person, and have draped (_affluble_) yourself in the trappings of your victim! Where is his body?”
This was the working hypothesis which the Juge d'Instruction had formed within himself to account for the general conduct and proceedings of the person under examination.
”Where is _whose_ body?” asked Maitland, in unspeakable surprise.
”Buchanan,” said the Juge d'Instruction. (And to hear the gallantry with which he attacked this difficult name, of itself insured respect.) ”Buchanan, you are acting on a deplorable system. Justice is not deceived by your falsehoods, nor eluded by your subterfuges. She is calm, stern, but merciful. Unbosom yourself freely” (_repandez franchement_), ”and you may learn that justice can be lenient It is your interest to be frank.” (_Il est de votre interet d'etre franc_.)
”But what do you want me to say?” asked the prevenu, ”What is all this pother about a great-coat?” (_Tant de fracas pour un paletot?_)
Maitland was rather proud of this sentence.
”It is the part of Justice to ask questions, not to answer them,”
said the Juge d'Instruction. ”Levity will avail you nothing. Tell me, Buchanan, why did you ask for the coat at the Hotel Alsace et Lorraine?”
”In answer to that advertis.e.m.e.nt in the Times.”
”That is false; you yourself inserted the advertis.e.m.e.nt. But, on your own system, bad as it is, what did you want with the coat?”
”It belonged to a man who had done me an ill-turn.”
”His name?”
”I do not know his name; that is just what I wanted to find out I might have found his tailor's name on the coat, and then have discovered for whom the coat was made.”
”You are aware that the proprietor of the hotel did not insert the forged advertis.e.m.e.nt?”
”So he says.”
”You doubt his word? You insult France in one of her citizens!”
Maitland apologized.
”Then whom do you suspect of inserting the advertis.e.m.e.nt, as you deny having done it yourself, for some purpose which does not appear?”
”I believe the owner of the coat put in the advertis.e.m.e.nt.”
”That is absurd. What had he to gain by it?”
”To remove me from London, where he is probably conspiring against me at this moment.”
”Buchanan, you trifle with Justice!”
”I have told you that my name is not Buchanan.”
”Then why did you forge that name in the hotel book?”
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