ce an innocent man? He who assisted him in his crimes, and has
deserved death a hundred times? No, in verity; _he_ suffers justly;
although I told you the true state of the case in the hope that you
might somehow make use of it in the interests of your _protege_,
without bringing me into the clutches of the Chambre Ardente."

Mademoiselle Scuderi, delighted at having her conviction of Olivier's
innocence confirmed in such a decided manner, had no hesitation in
telling the Count the whole affair, since he already knew all about
Cardillac's crimes, and in begging him to go with her to d'Andilly, to
whom everything should be communicated under the seal of secrecy, and
who should advise what was next to be done.

D'Andilly, when Mademoiselle Scuderi had told him at full length all
the circumstances, inquired again into the very minutest particulars.
He asked Count Miossens if he was quite positive as to its having been
Cardillac who attacked him, and if he would recognise Olivier as the
person who carried away the body.

"Not only," said Miossens, "was the moon shining brightly, so that I
recognised the old goldsmith perfectly well, but this morning, at La
Regnie's, I saw the dagger with which he was stabbed. It is mine; I
know it by the ornamentation of the handle. And as I was within a pace
of the young man, I saw his face quite distinctly, all the more because
his hat had fallen off. As a matter of course I should know him in a
moment."

D'Andilly looked before him in meditation for a few moments, and said:
"There is no way of getting Brusson out of the hands of justice by any
ordinary means. On Madelon's account, nothing will induce him to admit
that Cardillac was a robber and a murderer. And even were he to do so,
and succeed in proving the truth of it by pointing out the secret
entrance and the collection of the stolen jewels, death would be his
own lot, as an accomplice. The same consequence would follow if Count
Miossens related to the judges the adventure with Cardillac. Delay is
what we must aim at. Let Count Miossens go to the Conciergerie, be
confronted with Olivier, and recognise him as the person who carried
off Cardillac's body; let him then go to La Regnie, and say, 'I saw a
man stabbed in the Rue St. Honore, and was close to the body when
another man darted up, bent down over it, and finding life still in it,
took it on his shoulders and carried it away. I recognise Olivier
Brusson as that man.' This wi