"One-third, is it not? Mine also."
"Astounding! It must be a mistake!"
And despite the affirmations of the Bernard family, despite even the "bit of writing," "under cover," there were found among the tenants doubting Thomases, who doubted still in the face of everything.
Three of them actually wrote to the proprietor to tell him what had passed, and to charitably warn him that his concièrge had wholly lost his mind. The proprietor responded to these skeptics, confirming what Bernard had said. Doubt, thereafter, was out of the question.
Then began reflections and commentaries.
"Why had the proprietor lowered his rents?"
"Yes, why?"
"What motives," said they all, "actuate this strange man? For certainly he must have grave reasons for a step like this! An intelligent man, a man of good sense, would never deprive himself of good fat revenues, well secured, for the simple pleasure of depriving himself. One would not conduct himself thus without being forced, constrained by powerful or terrible circumstances."
And each said to himself:
"There is something under all this!"