o, or any one who might have
noted you during this interval? You see, for the sake of this little
woman, I wish to give you every chance."

"Inspector, I am obliged to throw myself on your mercy. I have no such
witness to my innocence as you call for. Innocent people seldom have.
It is only the guilty who take the trouble to provide for such
contingencies."

This was all very well, if it had been uttered with a straightforward
air and in a clear tone. But it was not. I who loved him felt that it
was not, and consequently was more or less prepared for the change which
now took place in the inspector's manner. Yet it pierced me to the heart
to observe this change, and I instinctively dropped my face into my
hands when I saw him move toward Mr. Durand with some final order or
word of caution.

Instantly (and who can account for such phenomena?) there floated into
view before my retina a reproduction of the picture I had seen, or
imagined myself to have seen, in the supper-room; and as at that time
it opened before me an unknown vista quite removed from the surrounding
scene, so it did now, and I beheld again in faint outlines, and yet with
the effect of complete distinctness, a square of light through which
appeared an open passage partly shut off from view by a half-lifted
curtain and the tall figure of a man holding back this curtain and
gazing, or seeming to gaze, at his own breast, on which he had already
laid one quivering finger.

What did it mean? In the excitement of the horrible occurrence which
had engrossed us all, I had forgotten this curious experience; but on
feeling anew the vague sensation of shock and expectation which seemed
its natural accompaniment, I became conscious of a sudden conviction
that the picture which had opened before me in the supper-room was the
result of a reflection in a glass or mirror of something then going on
in a place not otherwise within the reach of my vision; a reflection,
the importance of which I suddenly realized when I recalled at what a
critical moment it had occurred. A man in a state of dread looking at
his breast, within five minutes of the stir and rush of the dreadful
event which had marked this evening!

A hope, great as the despair in which I had just been sunk, gave me
courage to drop my hands and advance impetuously toward the inspector.

"Don't speak, I pray; don't judge any of us further till you have heard
what I have to say."

In great astonishment an