M. Filleul was a magistrate of the ironic school, as he himself
would say. He was also a very ambitious magistrate and one who did
not object to an audience nor to an occasion to display his tactful
resource in public, as was shown by the increasing number of persons
who now crowded into the room. The journalists had been joined by
the farmer and his son, the gardener and his wife, the indoor
servants of the chateau and the two cabmen who had driven the flies
from Dieppe.

M. Filleul continued:

"There is also the question of agreeing upon the way in which the
third person disappeared. Was this the gun you fired, mademoiselle,
and from this window?"

"Yes. The man reached the tombstone which is almost buried under the
brambles, to the left of the cloisters."

"But he got up again?"

"Only half. Victor ran down at once to guard the little door and I
followed him, leaving the second footman, Albert, to keep watch
here."

Albert now gave his evidence and the magistrate concluded:

"So, according to you, the wounded man was not able to escape on the
left, because your fellow-servant was watching the door, nor on the
right, because you would have seen him cross the lawn. Logically,