“You know it is thought that the crime was committed by a butcher.” “The commissioner picked up the knife before me, and it is certainly a butcher’s knife. And more than that, the stroke that cut Caffie’s throat was given by a hand accustomed to butchery. I have indicated this in my report.” “Since then, more careful investigations have discovered a trousers’ button--” “Which might have been torn off in a struggle between Caffie and his assassin, I read in a newspaper. But as for me, I do not believe in this struggle. Caffie’s position in his chair, where he was assaulted and where he died, indicates that the old scamp was surprised. Otherwise, if he had not been, if he had struggled, he could have cried out, and, without doubt, he would have been heard.” “If you knew how happy I am to hear you say that!” she cried. “Happy! What difference can it make to you?” and he looked at her in surprise. “Of what importance is it to you whether Caffie was killed with or without a struggle? You condemned him; he is dead. That should satisfy you.” “I was very wrong to pronounce this condemnation, which I did without attaching any importance to it.” “Do you think that hastened its execution?” “I am not so foolish as that, but I should be better pleased if I had not condemned him.” “Do you regret it?” “I regret that he is dead.” “Decidedly, the enigma continues; but you know I do not understand it, and, if you wish, we will stop there. We have something better to do than to talk of Caffie.” “On the contrary, let me talk to you of him, because we want your advice.” Again he looked at her, trying to read her face and to divine why she insisted on speaking of Caffie, when he had just expressed a wish not to speak of him. What was there beneath this insistence? “I will listen,” he said; “and, since you wish to ask my advice on the subject, you must tell me immediately what you mean.” “You are right; and I should have told you before, but embarrassment and shame restrained me. And I reproach myself, for with you I should feel neither embarrassment nor reproach.” “Assuredly.” “But before everything else, I must tell you--you must know--that my brother Florentin is a good and honest boy; you must believe it, you must be convinced of it.” “I am, since you tell me so. Besides, he produced the best impression on me during the short time I saw him the other day at your house.” “Would not one see immediately that he has a good nature?” “Certainly.”