"For the past two years, it haunted Mme. Steinheil's mind. For two years, she had, on various occasions, postponed its carrying out.
"'I WANTED TO BE FREE,' she said.
"When, unable to restrain herself any longer, when resolved to do anything to get rid of her husband and to marry the rich man she coveted, she made her final preparations, she thought that, alone, she would not be able to carry out such a dreadful deed successfully, and confided her plans to one of her friends (familiers).
"'I WANTED AN ASSISTANT, I FOUND HIM!'
"The latter accepted without too many objections. Had she not promised him a golden future?
"Then, plans were laid.
"To kill only the husband was to give herself away immediately, for everybody knew how the wife hated her husband. And the public rumour, implacable and revengeful, would at once have named the guilty person.
"An alibi was necessary.
"And coldly, resolutely, Mme. Steinheil wired to her mother, inviting her to the Impasse Ronsin.
"'MY MOTHER, SHE WAS THE ALIBI.'