"Monsieur le Préfet, Mme. Fauville is the fourth person who may have seen the turquoise drop out of my ring."
"And what then? Have we the right, in the absence of any real proof, to suppose that a woman can kill her husband, that a mother can poison her son?"
"I am supposing nothing, Monsieur le Préfet."
"Then—?"
Don Luis made no reply. M. Desmalions did not conceal his irritation.
However, he said:
"Very well; but I order you most positively to remain silent. What questions am I to put to Mme. Fauville?"
"One only, Monsieur le Préfet: ask Mme. Fauville if she knows any one, apart from her husband, who is descended from the sisters Roussel."
"Why that question?"
"Because, if that descendant exists, it is not I who will inherit the millions, but he; and then it will be he and not I who would be interested in the removal of M. Fauville and his son."
"Of course, of course," muttered M. Desmalions. "But even so, this new trail—"