“Well, let us go on. How was he the day before the fire?”
“Just as usual.”
“What did he do before he went out?”
“He dined as usual with a good appetite; then he went up stairs and
remained there for an hour. When he came down, he had a letter in his
hand, which he gave to Michael, our tenant’s son, and told him to carry
it to Sauveterre, to Miss Chandore.”
“Yes. In that letter, M. de Boiscoran told Miss Dionysia that he was
retained here by a matter of great importance.”
“Ah!”
“Have you any idea what that could have been?”
“Not at all, sir, I assure you.”
“Still let us see. M. de Boiscoran must have had powerful reasons
to deprive himself of the pleasure of spending the evening with Miss
Dionysia?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“He must also have had his reasons for taking to the marshes, on his way
out, instead of going by the turnpike, and for coming back through the
woods.”