“That is possible,” said Monsieur Lebrun.
At a sign from Camusot the prisoner was stripped of everything but his trousers, even of his shirt, and the spectators might admire the hairy torso of a Cyclops.
It was that of the Farnese Hercules at Naples in its colossal exaggeration.
“For what does nature intend a man of this build?” said Lebrun to the judge.
The usher brought in the ebony staff, which from time immemorial has been the insignia of his office, and is called his rod; he struck it several times over the place where the executioner had branded the fatal letters.
Seventeen spots appeared, irregularly distributed, but the most careful scrutiny could not recognize the shape of any letters.
The usher indeed pointed out that the top bar of the letter T was shown by two spots, with an interval between of the length of that bar between the two points at each end of it, and there was another spot where the bottom of the T should be.
“Still that is quite uncertain,” said Camusot, seeing doubt in the expression of the prison doctor’s countenance.
Carlos begged them to make the same experiment on the other shoulder and the middle of his back.
About fifteen more such scars appeared, which, at the Spaniard’s request, the doctor made a note of; and he pronounced that the man’s back had been so extensively seamed by wounds that the brand would not show even if it had been made by the executioner.
An office-clerk now came in from the Prefecture, and handed a note to Monsieur Camusot, requesting an answer.
After reading it the lawyer went to speak to Coquart, but in such a low voice that no one could catch a word.
Only, by a glance from Camusot, Jacques Collin could guess that some information concerning him had been sent by the Prefet of Police.
“That friend of Peyrade’s is still at my heels,” thought Jacques Collin. “If only I knew him, I would get rid of him as I did of Contenson.
If only I could see Asie once more!”
After signing a paper written by Coquart, the judge put it into an envelope and handed it to the clerk of the Delegate’s office.
This is an indispensable auxiliary to justice.
It is under the direction of a police commissioner, and consists of peace-officers who, with the assistance of the police commissioners of each district, carry into effect orders for searching the houses or apprehending the persons of those who are suspected of complicity in crimes and felonies.
These functionaries in authority save the examining magistrates a great deal of very precious time.
At a sign from the judge the prisoner was dressed by Monsieur Lebrun and the attendant, who then withdrew with the usher.
Camusot sat down at his table and played with his pen.
“You have an aunt,” he suddenly said to Jacques Collin.
“An aunt?” echoed Don Carlos Herrera with amazement. “Why, monsieur, I have no relations. I am the unacknowledged son of the late Duke of Ossuna.”
But to himself he said,
“They are burning”— an allusion to the game of hot cockles, which is indeed a childlike symbol of the dreadful struggle between justice and the criminal.
“Pooh!” said Camusot. “You still have an aunt living, Mademoiselle Jacqueline Collin, whom you placed in Esther’s service under the eccentric name of Asie.”
Jacques Collin shrugged his shoulders with an indifference that was in perfect harmony with the cool curiosity he gave throughout to the judge’s words, while Camusot studied him with cunning attention.
“Take care,” said Camusot; “listen to me.”
“I am listening, sir.”
“You aunt is a wardrobe dealer at the Temple; her business is managed by a demoiselle Paccard, the sister of a convict — herself a very good girl, known as la Romette.
Justice is on the traces of your aunt, and in a few hours we shall have decisive evidence.
The woman is wholly devoted to you ——”
“Pray go on, Monsieur le Juge,” said Collin coolly, in answer to a pause; “I am listening to you.”
“Your aunt, who is about five years older than you are, was formerly Marat’s mistress — of odious memory.
From that blood-stained source she derived the little fortune she possesses. “From information I have received she must be a very clever receiver of stolen goods, for no proofs have yet been found to commit her on.
After Marat’s death she seems, from the notes I have here, to have lived with a chemist who was condemned to death in the year XII. for issuing false coin.
She was called as witness in the case.
It was from this intimacy that she derived her knowledge of poisons.
“In 1812 and in 1816 she spent two years in prison for placing girls under age upon the streets.
“You were already convicted of forgery; you had left the banking house where your aunt had been able to place you as clerk, thanks to the education you had had, and the favor enjoyed by your aunt with certain persons for whose debaucheries she supplied victims. “All this, prisoner, is not much like the dignity of the Dukes d’Ossuna. “Do you persist in your denial?”
Jacques Collin sat listening to Monsieur Camusot, and thinking of his happy childhood at the College of the Oratorians, where he had been brought up, a meditation which lent him a truly amazed look.
And in spite of his skill as a practised examiner, Camusot could bring no sort of expression to those placid features.
“If you have accurately recorded the account of myself I gave you at first,” said Jacques Collin, “you can read it through again. I cannot alter the facts. I never went to the woman’s house; how should I know who her cook was?
The persons of whom you speak are utterly unknown to me.”
“Notwithstanding your denial, we shall proceed to confront you with persons who may succeed in diminishing your assurance”
“A man who has been three times shot is used to anything,” replied Jacques Collin meekly.
Camusot proceeded to examine the seized papers while awaiting the return of the famous Bibi–Lupin, whose expedition was amazing; for at half-past eleven, the inquiry having begun at ten o’clock, the usher came in to inform the judge in an undertone of Bibi–Lupin’s arrival.
“Show him in,” replied M. Camusot.
Bibi–Lupin, who had been expected to exclaim,
“It is he,” as he came in, stood puzzled.