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 leled crime?" "Humph!" answered la Regnie, with another ironical smile, "Cardillac was not poor; he was in the possession of admirable diamonds!" "Yet," said de Scuderi, "was not his daughter heiress of all that property? You forget that Olivier was to have been son-in-law to the goldsmith?" "That is no decisive proof," answered la Regnie; "we are not obliged to admit that Brusson committed the crime solely on his own account, though no doubt admitted to his share." "What means this talk of sharing and agency?" said de Scuderi. "Your ladyship will please to observe," answered la Regnie, "that Brusson would, long ere now, have been led to the scaffold, were it not that he is obviously connected with that horrid conspiracy, which has hitherto baffled our inquiries, and kept all Paris in suspense and agitation. It is suspected, indeed known, that this miscreant belonged to that band of robbers who have held in scorn and mockery all measures taken against them by the ministers of justice, and have continued to carry on their enormities securely and without punishment. Through his confessions, however, which we shall in due time extort, that mystery will no doubt be rendered clear. I should have observed, that Cardillac's wound is precisely similar to those which have been examined on the dead bodies of other victims, who were found murdered in the streets and courts, or corridors of houses. But the circumstance which we consider as of all the most decisive is, that, since Brusson's arrestment, these robberies and murders, which before happened almost every night, have entirely ceased, and one may now walk on the streets just as securely by night as by day. This alone affords sufficient presumptive proof, that Olivier must have been at the head of these assassins, and though, to this hour, he has persisted in asserting his innocence, yet we have means enough of forcing him to confess, however great his obstinacy may be."

"But then, as to Madelon," said de Scuderi, "the poor innocent girl!" "Ha, ha!" answered la Regnie, "who