stroke in the
presence of the examining magistrate, in order to secure your arrest,
believe me, I had no time to warn you of what I meant to do.... Ah, if I
could have warned you--but it would have only disturbed you to no good
purpose, besides--your being really taken by surprise was a help--there
could not be any idea of collusion.... Of course, you want the answer to
this riddle? You shall have it--that is why I am here.... Don't you
remember, Elizabeth, that on the evening before the fatal day you told
me that I had twice rung you up on the telephone? And that each time you
answered the call you could not find me at the end of the line?... You
cannot imagine what I felt when I heard you say that! I never
telephoned! I never telephoned to the convent!

"The obvious conclusion was, that the individuals who, for some reason,
did not wish to make themselves known, did wish to keep track of you,
and to assure themselves that you were still at the convent, rue de la
Glaciere...."

Fandor's voice trembled a little, as he went on:

"And I was at once afraid, my poor child, that these people who were
pursuing you, might be the very same who had got into Madame Bourrat's
house, and had tried to kill you.... Ah, do you not see how greatly it
hurt and troubled me to think that I had taken you to the convent, and
had there placed you in security--as I thought--but where you were far
from being safe?"

Again Fandor took Elizabeth's hands in his.

"You do understand now, dear child, why I had you arrested?... I felt
you would be safe here.... You see, I could not get your persecutors
imprisoned and so prevent them from getting at you. To imprison you was
the alternative: you are better guarded here than elsewhere."

Elizabeth smiled a little smile when she saw how moved Fandor was.

"But," replied she, "there is the other point! You certainly told me
that you were sure my brother was killed in prison--in his cell!"

"Certainly, I did! The assassination of your brother was premeditated.
If the criminals have had accomplices at the Depot, and such there
certainly were, they have been bought over little by little.... The fact
of your brother's murder is fresh in the memory of the police, of all,
therefore, a special watch is kept over you. I ascertained that it would
be so, and Fuselier himself assured me of it: there is a warder
specially told off to keep a close guard over you, a safe man, known to
be beyond suspicion....