"And this detective! Is he tall, broad shouldered, about forty-five, with gray hair and clean shaven?"
The young girl was astonished at the accuracy of the portrait.
"Why, yes, Sire ... your Majesty is right."
"It can be no other than Juve," thought Fandor joyfully. Then turning to Marie Pascal, "Now you must answer truthfully the question I am going to ask you. Will you tell me why, after accusing me of this dreadful crime, you have suddenly changed your opinion and come to tell me how sorry you are and that you are now sure I am not guilty? You must have very serious reasons for this change of front."
"I have been convinced of your innocence," she replied, "by the most absolute proof." She then recounted to Fandor her discovery of the chemise belonging to the Marquis de Sérac.
"After picking up this chemise I was about to give it over to Mme. Ceiron, the concièrge of the house, when my eyes happened to fall upon the ruffles on the sleeves. Attached to the right sleeve were some shreds of lace which seemed to have been torn from a larger piece. I am a lace maker and I recognized immediately that these pieces came from a dress I had just delivered to Mlle. Susy d'Orsel a few hours before."
Fandor, who was listening with the closest attention, now asked: "What do you deduce from that, Mademoiselle?"
"Sire, simply that the person who threw Susy d'Orsel out of the window was wearing that chemise."
"And," continued the journalist, "as this belonged to the Marquis de Sérac?"
"But it is a woman's chemise."