Page:Memoirs of Vidocq, Volume 1.djvu/101

 me, she threatened to call for the guard to seize me; knowing her perverseness, I ran down the bye streets, and reached the house before her, which I had hoped to do, and wanting some clothes, I forced a shutter to effect my entrance, and then took out what I wanted. You just now asked me where these things are, and I will now tell you, they are in the Rue Saint-Sauveur, at the house of Duboc, who will corroborate this."

"You do not speak truth—before you left Francine at her house, you had a great quarrel; it is said that you struck her."

"That is false; I did not see Francine at her own home after the quarrel, and consequently I could not have maltreated her. She can corroborate this."

"Do you know this knife?"

"Yes; it is the one I generally use at my meals."

"You see the blade and haft are covered with blood. Does not the sight of it make any impression on you? You are agitated!"

"Yes," I replied with emotion; "but what has happened to Francine? Tell me, and I will give every possible explanation."

"Did nothing particular happen to you when you carried off your clothes?"

"Nothing that I can at all call to mind."

"You persist in your declarations?"

"Yes."

"You are imposing on justice;—that you may have time for reflection on your position, and the consequences of your obstinacy, I shall now delay the remainder of your examination until to-morrow.—Gen-d'armes, watch this man most carefully—Go."

It was late when I returned to my cell, where they brought me my allowance, which the trouble I experienced from the result of the interrogatory, would not allow me to eat; I would not sleep, and passed the whole night without closing an eye. Some crime had been committed, but on whom? By whom? Why was I inculpated? I had asked myself