I asked Marthe what had happened to her since the previous evening.
"After leaving you, mother, I drove home, and found there a journalist from the Paris-Journal, who when I had told him that I was exhausted and that he should have pity on me, shook me by my hand and went away without a word.
"At ten o'clock, three Matin men arrived, de Labruyère, Barby and Bourse. They were less considerate. They refused to go, and started making me all kinds of offers. One said to me: 'The Matin will give you 30,000 francs (£1200), will give even more than that if you will tell us all you know!' I said I knew nothing and had nothing to say. They then began to ask me questions: 'Confess it is your mother who committed the double murder! Come, confess it. You know everything; tell us the truth'... I grew so angry that they tried something else: 'Who is it, then?' they asked. 'M. Buisson? Mariette? Wolff? Geoffroy? Couillard, after all?' They mentioned the name of every person we know who comes to our house.... I was alone with de Labruyère and Barby. Bourse was in the next room keeping the Chabriers from joining me. I did not answer their idiotic questions. I repeated that I knew nothing.... Then they grew reckless, and gave their ugly scheme away: 'Well, beware: You are going to see your mother at Saint-Lazare; we shall be waiting there, and we shall take you in a motor-car to a place in the country. We shall keep you there until you speak. You will see.... To-morrow....' They went away banging the doors.
"I have come, mother, with M. Chabrier and M. Hutin, who said he would protect me. I didn't see any one, but I wonder how I shall reach home."
At that moment some one came to say that there was a great crowd outside, that the police were powerless, that he didn't see how they would get Mlle. Steinheil away.
The prison-treasurer (économe), who was present, said: "She will have to leave by the door through which she came. There is no other way out."
"You don't want this child to be mobbed, do you?" said the Director; and he gave some instructions.
(I heard afterwards that there had been a serious altercation, passing from words to blows, between M. Hutin and M. Barby of the Matin, because the former's taxi had been allowed to enter the prison, to the unspeakable rage of the latter, who had the Matin car in readiness, and hoped to kidnap Marthe. M. Hutin's taxi, with my daughter in it, was taken through various courtyards inside the prison to the alley leading to the so-called porte des condamnés (the door through which prisoners sentenced to death were taken to the guillotine). The old gate had not been opened for a long time, and it was difficult to open it; but at last it was thrown open, and the taxi, carrying Marthe, M. Chabrier, and M. Hutin, sped out of the prison into the square.... The crowd was surging outside the main entrance. When they saw the taxi, and realised that Marthe was in it, it was too late. Marthe reached the Impasse Ronsin safely, thanks to M. Hutin, whom, when I heard of his kindness to my daughter, I almost forgave his conduct towards me on the so-called "Night of the Confession.")
From that day the Matin hardly ever troubled my daughter.
I thanked the Director for what he had done for my child, and also for having allowed me to see her, not in the parlour, but in his study.