the story of her shame and misfortunes? Must not she say where, when, and how she fell, and repeat the villain’s words to her? Can you imagine that of her own free will she compelled herself to announce her suicide at the risk of killing her parents with grief? No. Then she must explain what menaces forced her to do this, which surely was not her own idea. And worse than all, she will be compelled to confess her love for Tremorel.”
“No,” answered the detective. “Let us not exaggerate anything. You know as well as I do that justice is most considerate with the innocent victims of affairs of this sort.”
“Consideration? Eh! Could justice protect her, even if it would, from the publicity in which trials are conducted? You might touch the magistrates’ hearts; but there are fifty journalists who, since this crime, have been cutting their pens and getting their paper ready. Do you think that, to please us, they would suppress the scandalous proceedings which I am anxious to avoid, and which the noble name of the murderer would make a great sensation? Does not this case unite every feature which gives success to judicial dramas? Oh, there’s nothing wanting, neither unworthy passion, nor poison, nor vengeance, nor murder. Laurence represents in it the romantic and sentimental element; she—my darling girl—will become a heroine of the assizes; it is she who will attract the readers of the Police Gazette; the reporters will tell when she blushes and when she weeps; they will rival each other in describing her toilet and bearing. Then there will be the photographers besieging her, and if she refuses to sit, portraits of some hussy of the street will be sold as hers. She will yearn to hide herself —but where? Can a few locks and bars shelter her from eager curiosity? She will become famous. What shame and misery! If she is to be saved, Monsieur Lecoq, her name must not be spoken. I ask of you, is it possible? Answer me.”
The old man was very violent, yet his speech was simple, devoid of the pompous phrases of passion. Anger lit up his eyes with a strange fire; he seemed young again—he loved, and defended his beloved.
M. Lecoq was silent; his companion insisted.
“Answer me.”
“Who knows?”
“Why seek to mislead me? Haven’t I as well as you had experience in these things? If Tremorel is brought to trial, all is over with Laurence! And I love her! Yes, I dare to confess it to you, and let you see the depth of my grief, I love her now as I have never loved her. She is dishonored, an object of contempt, perhaps still adores this wretch—what matters it? I love her a thousand times more than before her fall, for then I loved her without hope, while now—”
He stopped, shocked at what he was going to say. His eyes fell before M. Lecoq’s steady gaze, and he blushed for this shameful yet human hope that he had betrayed.
“You know all, now,” resumed he, in a calmer tone; “consent to aid me, won’t you? Ah, if you only would, I should not think I had repaid you were I to give you half my fortune—and I am rich—”
M. Lecoq stopped him with a haughty gesture.
“Enough, Monsieur Plantat,” said he, in a bitter tone, “I can do a service to a person whom I esteem, love and pity with all my soul; but I cannot sell such a service.”
“Believe that I did not wish—”
“Yes, yes, you wished to pay me. Oh, don’t excuse yourself, don’t deny it. There are professions, I know, in which manhood and integrity seem to count for nothing. Why offer me money? What reason have you for judging me so mean as to sell my favors? You are like the rest, who can’t fancy what a man in my position is. If I wanted to be rich—richer than you—I could be so in a fortnight. Don’t you see that I hold in my hands the honor and lives of fifty people? Do you think I tell all I know? I have here,” added he, tapping his forehead, “twenty secrets that I could sell to-morrow, if I would, for a plump hundred thousand apiece.”
He was indignant, but beneath his anger a certain sad resignation might be perceived. He had often to reject such offers.
“If you go and resist this prejudice established for ages, and say that a detective is honest and cannot be otherwise, that he is tenfold more honest than any merchant or notary, because he has tenfold the temptations, without the benefits of his honesty; if you say this, they’ll laugh in your face. I could get together to-morrow, with impunity, without any risk, at least a million. Who would mistrust it? I have a conscience, it’s true; but a little consideration for these things would not be unpleasant. When it would be so easy for me to divulge what I know of those who have been obliged to trust me, or things which I have surprised, there is perhaps a merit in holding my tongue. And still, the first man who should come along to-morrow—a defaulting banker, a ruined merchant, a notary who has gambled on ’change—would feel himself compromised by walking up the boulevard with me! A policeman—fie! But old Tabaret used to say to me, that the contempt of such people was only one form of fear.”
M. Plantat was dismayed. How could he, a man of delicacy, prudence and finesse, have committed such an awkward mistake? He had just cruelly wounded this man, who was so well disposed toward him, and he had everything to fear from his resentment.
“Far be it from me, dear friend,” he commenced, “to intend the offence you imagine. You have misunderstood an insignificant phrase, which I let escape carelessly, and had no meaning at all.”
M. Lecoq grew calmer.
“Perhaps so. You will forgive my being so susceptible, as I am more exposed to insults than most people. Let’s leave the subject, which is a painful one, and return to Tremorel.”
M. Plantat was just thinking whether he should dare to broach his projects again, and he was singularly touched by M. Lecoq’s delicately resuming the subject of them.
“I have only to await your decision,” said the justice of the peace.
“I will not conceal from you,” resumed M. Lecoq, “that you are asking a very difficult thing, and one which is contrary to my duty, which commands me to search for Tremorel, to arrest him, and deliver him up to justice. You ask me to protect him from the law—”
“In the name of an innocent creature whom you will thereby save.”
“Once in my life I sacrificed my duty. I could not resist the tears of a poor old mother, who clung to my knees and implored pardon for her son. To-day I am going to exceed my right, and to risk an attempt for which my conscience will perhaps reproach me. I yield to your entreaty.”
“Oh, my dear Lecoq, how grateful I am!” cried M. Plantat, transported with joy.
But the detective remained grave, almost sad, and reflected.
“Don’t let us encourage a hope which may be disappointed,” he resumed. “I have but one means of keeping a criminal like Tremorel out of the courts; will it succeed?”
“Yes, yes. If you wish it, it will!”
M. Lecoq could not help smiling at the old man’s faith.
“I am certainly a clever detective,” said he. “But I am only a man after all, and I can’t answer for the actions of another man. All depends upon Hector. If it were another criminal, I should say I was sure. I am doubtful about him, I frankly confess. We ought, above all, to count upon the firmness of Mademoiselle Courtois; can we, think you?”
“She is firmness itself.”
“Then there’s hope. But can we really suppress
