I stepped forward and drew them aside, signing the carriage to go on and to the others to follow it. "I can tell you all there is to be told about him, if you mean the man whom I think you mean," said I. "But I doubt if you will catch him now." And with that I told them the story briefly, and so far as it affected the matter they were engaged upon; and they heard it with much astonishment. For they had tracked Pierre (or Raymond Pinceau as they called him, saying it was his true name) to Bontet's stable, on the matter of the previous attempt on the necklace and the death of Lafleur, and on no other, and did not think to hear such a sequel as I unfolded to them. "And if you will search," said I, "some six yards behind the wall, and maybe a quarter of a mile from the road, I fancy you will find Bontet; he may have crawled a little way, but could not far, I think. As for the Duke of Saint-Maclou, gentlemen, his body was in the carriage that passed you this moment. And I am at your service, although I would desire, if it be possible, to be allowed to follow my friends." There being but four of them and their anxiety being to achieve the capture of Pierre, they made no difficulty of allowing me to go on my way, taking from me my promise to present myself before the magistrate at Avranches next day; and leaving two to seek for Bontet, the other two made on, in the hope of finding a boat to take them to the Mount, whither they conceived the escaped man must have directed his steps. Thus delayed, I was some time behind the others in reaching the inn, and I found Gustave waiting for me in the entrance. The body of the duke had been carried to his own room and a messenger sent to procure a proper conveyance. Marie Delhasse was upstairs, and Gustave's message to me was that the duchess desired to see me. "Nay," said I, "there is one thing I want to do before that;" and I called to a servant girl who was hovering between terror and excitement at the events of the evening, and asked her whether Mme. Delhasse had returned. "No, sir," she answered. "The lady left word that she would be back in half an hour, but she has not yet returned." Then I said to Gustave de Berensac, laying my hand on his shoulder: "When I am married, Gustave, you will not meet my mother-in-law in my house;" and I left Gustave staring in an amazement not unnatural to his ignorance. And I allowed myself to be directed by the servant girl to where the duchess sat. The duchess waited till the door was shut, and then turned to me as if about to speak, but I was beforehand with her; and I began: "Forgive me for speaking of the necklace, but I fear it is still missing." The duchess looked at me scornfully. "He gave it to the girl again, I suppose?" she asked. "He gave it," I answered, "to the girl's mother, and she, I fear, has made off with it;" and I told the duchess how Mme. Delhasse had laid her plot. The duchess heard me in silence, but at the end she remarked: