"Well, if you still refuse to believe me I will call Professor Delapine himself, who will endorse every word I have said, as it is only a few weeks since he woke up from his trance."
At the mention of Delapine's name, the chef de police opened his eyes in astonishment, and bowed nearly to the ground as the professor came into the room.
M. Patrigent expressed his unbounded delight at meeting him.
"It is indeed an honour to be permitted to shake hands with the greatest man in Europe," ... for his recovery from his marvellous trance ... followed up by his superb play at Monte Carlo ... his arrest ... his defence of the charge made against him were becoming the sole subjects of conversation in every town in France. One heard nothing else but stories of the great seer all day long, and they grew in magnitude from hour to hour.
After hearing Delapine's confirmation of Riche's story of the ring, and seeing the photograph which the professor took in the salon, it was not to be wondered at that M. Patrigent became a convert to Violette's psychic powers, and now believed in them as firmly as he was incredulous before.
After shaking hands all round he received Delapine's permission to take away the precious photograph, and bowing profoundly left the apartment.
In about two hours he returned again to inform them that after leaving he had immediately telegraphed to Agen to search the tunnel, and that the body of a lady had been found in the tunnel near the place, precisely as Violette had predicted.
"It is very wonderful, and I don't pretend to explain it, but I am as convinced as you are that the facts are true, and acting solely on mademoiselle's statement, I intend to leave at once for Bordeaux, and if Dr. Riche will do me the honour to accompany me I will make it my business to see that he shall be well rewarded by the Government for his trouble."
Riche, who was listening, assented willingly, and the two gentlemen departed at once by a special train for Bordeaux. They stopped at Marseilles to change engines and have a hurried dinner at the buffet, and then travelled right through to Bordeaux, merely stopping to make a few enquiries at Agen, and to examine the body which was lying in the inspector's room at the station.
M. Patrigent accompanied by Riche enquired at the office of the Compagnie de Navigation. Unfortunately, no one answering either to the print in the newspapers, or to the description of him given by Violette had been discovered there, but all the police were informed, and were on the alert to pounce upon him. Detectives were examining the faces of every person seen on the landing-stages and wharfs, while others inspected the visitors' books at the various hotels—but all to no purpose.