"Parbleu!" he answered, "I find you superb! I am a doctor four hours in the day. I am paid by hardly a quarter of my patients—that's three hours I give daily to humanity, which I despise. Let each of you do as much, and we shall see."
The mayor conducted the new-comers into the drawing-room, where he installed himself to write down the results of his examination.
"What a misfortune for my town, this crime!" said he to M. Domini. "What shame! Orcival has lost its reputation."
"I know nothing of the affair," returned the judge. "The gendarme who went for me knew little about it."
M. Courtois recounted at length what his investigation had discovered, not forgetting the minutest detail, dwelling especially on the excellent precautions which he had had the sagacity to take. He told how the conduct of the Bertauds had at first awakened his suspicions; how he had detected them, at least in a pointblank lie; how, finally, he had determined to arrest them. He spoke standing, his head thrown back, with wordy emphasis. The pleasure of speaking partially rewarded him for his recent distress.
"And now," he concluded, "I have just ordered the most exact search, so that doubtless we shall find the count's body. Five men, detailed by me, and all the people of the house, are searching the park. If their efforts are not crowned with success, I have here some fishermen who will drag the river."
M. Domini held his tongue, only nodding his head from time to time, as a sign of approbation. He was studying, weighing the details told him, building up in his mind a plan of proceeding.
"You have acted wisely," said he, at last. "The misfortune is a great one, but I agree with you that we are on the track of the criminals. These poachers, or the gardener who has disappeared, have something, perhaps, to do with this abominable crime."
Already, for some minutes, M. Plantat had rather awkwardly concealed some signs of impatience.
"The misfortune is," said he, "that if Guespin is guilty, he will not be such a fool as to show himself here."