"We'll see," said the young man. He stepped toward the body; his father caught him by the arm.
"What would you do, fool?" said he. "You ought never to touch the body of a murdered person without legal authority."
"You think so?"
"Certainly. There are penalties for it."
"Then, come along and let's inform the Mayor."
"Why? as if people hereabouts were not against us enough already! Who knows that they would not accuse us—"
"But, father—"
"If we go and inform Monsieur Courtois, he will ask us how and why we came to be in Monsieur de Tremorel's park to find this out. What is it to you, that the countess has been killed? They'll find her body without you. Come, let's go away."
But Philippe did not budge. Hanging his head, his chin resting upon his palm, he reflected.
"We must make this known," said he, firmly. "We are not savages; we will tell Monsieur Courtois that in passing along by the park in our boat, we perceived the body."