“But if I simply asked you to enlighten me on certain points?” “One can always give advice.” “Good! The police are about to make a search for the authors of the crime of which my master has been the victim. But I, also, should like to investigate.” “There is no one to prevent you.” “Ah! One must know how to go about it. One does not become a detective by instinct. Which end shall I begin with, to unravel the skein?” “Come! Had your master any family?” “A daughter.” “She had no interest in wishing to be rid of him?” “Not the slightest.” “Had he any visitors?” “Very few; he was so distrustful! The woman who called on him only came mysteriously by night, on which occasions he always sent me away.” “That is the same woman who came last night?” “Yes.” “Do you know if M. de Trémont had any enemies?” “No.” “Was there any one who had reasons for injuring him?” “In a certain sense, yes.” “Why do you suspect this?” “I judge from personal observation, confirmed by the conviction of one of my master’s friends.” “A man who can offer good guarantees?” “Perfect.” “Very good! Search must be made in that direction.” “If only you knew what difficulties I am likely to meet with.” “That is the most interesting part about it. It is not very clever to arrest a coal-dealer who has been thrashing his wife in his shop, or a hair-dresser who has cut his lady’s throat with one of his razors! What excites one is the struggle and pursuit, the necessity of employing trickery and invention. We are men of imagination, and novelists often make us laugh by the poverty of their combinations.” “That is because you like your profession. It is not so with me; I am not inquisitive. Were I not mad with grief at seeing my master, whom I was so fond of basely murdered, I should take good care not to meddle with other people’s affairs. But vengeance seems a kind of duty my master would impose on me, could he do so. Had he had time to think, the moment he was struck, he must have said to himself: ‘Ah! If only Baudoin were here he would defend me with his last breath.’ You see, I must find his murderers. I shall have no rest till I have succeeded in this pursuit.” Laforêt had become thoughtful. After a moment’s hesitation, he said—