"Why?" asked Romilly.
Madame Doulce replied in a very low tone and as if reluctantly:
"Because he committed suicide."
"We must see to this," said Pradel.
Romilly displayed an eager desire to be of service.
"The curé knows me," he said. "He is a very decent fellow. I'll just run over to Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, and I'd be greatly surprised if——"
Madame Doulce shook her head sadly:
"All is useless."
"All the same, we must have a religious service," said Romilly, with all the authority of a stage-manager.