These facts confirmed even if they corrected Lecoq's first suppositions.
As he had suspected, the social position of the two women was not the
same. He had been mistaken, however, in attributing the higher standing
to the woman wearing the shoes with the high heels, the marks of which
he had so particularly noticed in the snow, with all the attendant signs
of precipitation, terror, and weakness. In reality, social preeminence
belonged to the woman who had left the large, broad footprints behind
her. And not merely was she of a superior rank, but she had also shown
superior energy. Contrary to Lecoq's original idea, it now seemed
evident that she was the mistress, and her companion the servant.

"Is that all, my good fellow?" he asked the driver, who during the last
few minutes had been busy with his horses.

"Yes," replied the cabman, "except that I noticed that the shabbily
dressed woman who paid me had a hand as small as a child's, and in spite
of her anger, her voice was as sweet as music."

"Did you see her face?"

"I just caught a glimpse of it."

"Could you tell if she were pretty, or whether she was a blonde or
brunette?"

So many questions at a time confused the driver. "Stop a minute!" he
replied. "In my opinion she wasn't pretty, and I don't believe she was
young, but she certainly was a blonde, and with plenty of hair too."