Maumejan, who
is entirely devoted to me, and who is the greediest, most
avaricious scoundrel alive, will draw up such a complaint that
Marguerite will sleep in prison. Moreover, other witnesses will
be summoned. By what Casimir has said, you can judge what the
other servants will say. This testimony will be sufficient to
convict her of the robbery. As for the poisoning, you heard Dr.
Jodon. Can I depend upon him? Evidently, if I pay without
haggling. Very well; I shall pay."
But all this did not reassure M. de Coralth. "The accusation will
fall to the ground," said he, "as soon as the famous vial from
which M. de Chalusse took two spoonfuls is found."
"Excuse me; it won't be found."
"But why?"
"Because I know where it is, my dear friend. It is in the count's
escritoire, but it won't be there any longer on the day after to-
morrow."
"Who will remove it?"
"A skilful fellow whom Madame Leon has found for me. Everything
has been carefully arranged. To-morrow night at the latest Madame
Leon will let this man into the Hotel de Chalusse by the garden
gate, which she has kept the key of. Vantrasson, as the man is
called, knows the management of the house, and he will break open
the escritoire and take the vial away. You may say that there are
seals upon the furniture, placed there by the justice of the
peace. That's true, but this man tells me that he can remove and
replace them in such a way as to defy detection; and as the lock
has been forced once already--the day after the count's death--a
second attempt to break the escritoire open will not be detected.
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