Part 11 (1/2)
The prisoner's imperturbable coolness of demeanor did not forsake him. He took the jewel in his hand, examined it attentively, held it up to the light, admired its brilliant scintillations, and said: ”It is a very handsome stone, but I didn't notice it.”
”This stone,” remarked the magistrate, ”is a diamond.”
”Ah!”
”Yes; and worth several thousand francs.”
”So much as that!”
This exclamation may have been in accordance with the spirit of the part a.s.sumed by the prisoner; though, at the same time, its simplicity was undoubtedly far-fetched. It was strange that a nomad, such as the murderer pretended to have been, acquainted with most of the countries and capitals of Europe, should have displayed this astonishment on learning the value of a diamond. Still, M. Segmuller did not seem to notice the discrepancy.
”Another thing,” said he. ”When you threw down your pistol, crying, 'Come and take me,' what did you intend to do?”
”I intended to make my escape.”
”In what way?”
”Why, of course, by the door, sir-by-”
”Yes, by the back door,” retorted the magistrate, with freezing irony. ”It remains for you to explain how you-you who had just entered that hovel for the first time-could have known of this door's existence.”
For once, in the course of the examination, the prisoner seemed troubled. For an instant all his a.s.surance forsook him. He evidently perceived the danger of his position, and after a considerable effort he contrived to burst out in a laugh. His laugh was a poor one, however; it rang false, and failed to conceal a sensation of deep anxiety. Growing gradually bolder, he at length exclaimed: ”That's nonsense, I had just seen these two women go out by that very door.”
”Excuse me, you declared a minute ago that you did not see these women leave: that you were too busy to watch their movements.”
”Did I say that?”
”Word for word; the pa.s.sage shall be shown you. Goguet, find it.”
The clerk at once read the pa.s.sage referred to, whereupon the prisoner undertook to show that the remark had been misunderstood. He had not said-at least, he did not intend to say-that; they had quite misinterpreted his words. With such remarks did he try to palliate the effect of his apparent blunders.
In the mean while, Lecoq was jubilant. ”Ah, my fine fellow,” thought he, ”you are contradicting yourself-you are in deep water already-you are lost. There's no hope for you.”
The prisoner's situation was indeed not unlike that of a bather, who, unable to swim, imprudently advances into the sea until the water rises above his chin. He may for a while have preserved his equilibrium, despite the buffeting of the waves, but now he totters, loses his footing-another second, and he will sink!
”Enough-enough!” said the magistrate, cutting the prisoner's embarra.s.sed explanation short. ”Now, if you started out merely with the intention of amusing yourself, how did it happen that you took your revolver with you?”
”I had it with me while I was traveling, and did not think of leaving it at the hotel any more than I thought of changing my clothes.”
”Where did you purchase it?”
”It was given me by M. Simpson as a souvenir.”
”Confess that this M. Simpson is a very convenient personage,” said the magistrate coldly. ”Still, go on with your story. Only two chambers of this murderous weapon were discharged, but three men were killed. You have not told me the end of the affair.”
”What's the use?” exclaimed the prisoner, in saddened tones. ”Two of my a.s.sailants had fallen; the struggle became an equal one. I seized the remaining man, the soldier, round the body, and threw him down. He fell against a corner of the table, and did not rise again.”
M. Segmuller had unfolded upon his desk the plan of the Poivriere drawn by Lecoq. ”Come here,” he said, addressing the prisoner, ”and show me on this paper the precise spot you and your adversaries occupied.”
May obeyed, and with an a.s.surance of manner a little surprising in a man in his position, he proceeded to explain the drama. ”I entered,” said he, ”by this door, marked C; I seated myself at the table, H, to the left of the entrance: my a.s.sailants occupied the table between the fireplace, F, and the window, B.”
”I must admit,” said the magistrate, ”that your a.s.sertions fully agree with the statements of the physicians, who say that one of the shots must have been fired about a yard off, and the other about two yards off.”
This was a victory for the prisoner, but he only shrugged his shoulders and murmured: ”That proves that the physicians knew their business.”
Lecoq was delighted. This part of the prisoner's narrative not merely agreed with the doctor's statements, but also confirmed his own researches. The young detective felt that, had he been the examiner, he would have conducted the investigation in precisely the same way. Accordingly, he thanked heaven that M. Segmuller had supplied the place of M. d'Escorval.
”This admitted,” resumed the magistrate, ”it remains for you to explain a sentence you uttered when the agent you see here arrested you.”
”What sentence?”
”You exclaimed: 'Ah, it's the Prussians who are coming; I'm lost!' What did you mean by that?”
A fleeting crimson tinge suffused the prisoner's cheek. It was evident that if he had antic.i.p.ated the other questions, and had been prepared for them, this one, at least, was unexpected. ”It's very strange,” said he, with ill-disguised embarra.s.sment, ”that I should have said such a thing!”
”Five persons heard you,” insisted the magistrate.
The prisoner did not immediately reply. He was evidently trying to gain time, ransacking in his mind for a plausible explanation. ”After all,” he ultimately said, ”the thing's quite possible. When I was with M. Simpson, we had with us an old soldier who had belonged to Napoleon's body-guard and had fought at Waterloo. I recollect he was always repeating that phrase. I must have caught the habit from him.”
This explanation, though rather slow in coming, was none the less ingenious. At least, M. Segmuller appeared to be perfectly satisfied. ”That's very plausible,” said he; ”but there is one circ.u.mstance that pa.s.ses my comprehension. Were you freed from your a.s.sailants before the police entered the place? Answer me, yes or no.”
”Yes.”
”Then why, instead of making your escape by the back door, the existence of which you had divined, did you remain on the threshold of the door leading into the back room, with a table before you to serve as a barricade, and your revolver leveled at the police, as if to keep them at bay?”
The prisoner hung his head, and the magistrate had to wait for his answer. ”I was a fool,” he stammered at last. ”I didn't know whether these men were police agents or friends of the fellows I had killed.”
”In either case your own interest should have induced you to fly.”
The prisoner remained silent.
”Ah, well!” resumed M. Segmuller, ”let me tell you my opinion. I believe you designedly and voluntarily exposed yourself to the danger of being arrested in order to protect the retreat of the two women who had just left.”
”Why should I have risked my own safety for two hussies I did not even know?”
”Excuse me. The prosecution is strongly inclined to believe that you know these two women very well.”
”I should like to see any one prove that!” So saying, the prisoner smiled sneeringly, but at once changed countenance when the magistrate retorted in a tone of a.s.surance: ”I will prove it.”
XII
M. Segmuller certainly wished that a number had been branded upon the enigmatical prisoner before him. And yet he did not by any means despair, and his confidence, exaggerated though it might be, was not at all feigned. He was of opinion that the weakest point of the prisoner's defense so far was his pretended ignorance concerning the two women. He proposed to return to this subject later on. In the mean while, however, there were other matters to be dealt with.
When he felt that his threat as regards the women had had time to produce its full effect, the magistrate continued: ”So, prisoner, you a.s.sert that you were acquainted with none of the persons you met at the Poivriere.”