The magistrate remained watching them until they passed out of sight at the end of the gallery.

Then he returned to his seat, heaving a deep sigh.
"At least," thought he, "I have helped to make one person happy.

The day will not be entirely a bad one." But he had no time to give way to his thoughts, the hours flew by so quickly.

He wished to interrogate Albert as soon as possible; and he had still to receive the evidence of several of the count's servants, and the report of the commissary of police charged with the arrest.

The servants who had been waiting their turn a long while were now brought in without delay, and examined separately.