下载辰思小说免费APP
watchedtheducksforfiveorsixminutes，andthemiller’smenmusthavenoticedme。Isawthewomengoingtowash；theyareprobablystillthere。Theymadealittlefunofme，anddeclaredthatIwasnothandsome；Itoldthemitwasnotallgoldthatglittered。Fromthere，IfollowedthelongavenuetoTivoli，whereItalkedwiththegardener。Prayhavethesefactsverified；anddonotevenarrestme，forIgiveyoumywordofhonorthatIwillstayquietlyinthisofficetillyouareconvincedofmyinnocence。“
Thesesensiblewords，saidwithouttheleasthesitation，andwiththeeaseofamanwhoisperfectlysureofhisfacts，madesomeimpressiononthemagistrates。
“Yes，wemustfindallthesepersonsandsummonthem，“saidMonsieurMouilleron；“butitismorethantheaffairofaday。Makeupyourmind，therefore，inyourowninterests，tobeimprisonedinthePalais。“
“ProvidedIcanwritetomymother，soastoreassureher，poorwoman——oh！youcanreadtheletter，“headded。
Thisrequestwastoojustnottobegranted，andJosephwrotethefollowingletter:——
“Donotbeuneasy，dearmother；themistakeofwhichIamavictimcaneasilyberectified；Ihavealreadygiventhemthemeansofdoingso。To-morrow，orperhapsthisevening，Ishallbeatliberty。Ikissyou，andbegyoutosaytoMonsieurandMadameHochonhowgrievedIamatthisaffair；inwhich，however，Ihavehadnohand，——itistheresultofsomechancewhich，asyet，Idonotunderstand。“
WhenthenotereachedMadameBridau，shewassufferingfromanervousattack，andthepotionswhichMonsieurGoddetwastryingtomakeherswallowwerepowerlesstosootheher。Thereadingoftheletteractedlikebalm；afterafewquiverings，Agathesubsidedintothedepressionwhichalwaysfollowssuchattacks。Later，whenMonsieurGoddetreturnedtohispatienthefoundherregrettingthatshehadeverquittedParis。
“Well，“saidMadameHochontoMonsieurGoddet，“howisMonsieurGilet？“
“Hiswound，thoughserious，isnotmortal，“repliedthedoctor。“Withamonth’snursinghewillbeallright。IlefthimwritingtoMonsieurMouillerontorequesthimtosetyoursonatliberty，madame，“headded，turningtoAgathe。“Oh！Maxisafinefellow。Itoldhimwhatastateyouwerein，andhethenrememberedacircumstancewhichgoestoprovethattheassassinwasnotyourson；themanworelistshoes，whereasitiscertainthatMonsieurJosephleftthehouseinhisboots——“
“Ah！Godforgivehimtheharmhehasdoneme——“
Thefactwas，amanhadleftanoteforMax，afterdark，writtenintype-letters，whichranasfollows:——
“CaptainGiletoughtnottoletaninnocentmansuffer。HewhostrucktheblowpromisesnottostrikeagainifMonsieurGiletwillhaveMonsieurJosephBridausetatliberty，withoutnamingthemanwhodidit。“
Afterreadingthisletterandburningit，MaxwrotetoMonsieurMouilleronstatingthecircumstanceofthelistshoes，asreporte
