He declared, that, for the present, the prisoner must continue to remain strictly in solitary confinement.
By way of consolation, he added that, in three or four days, he might perhaps be able to reconsider this decision, as the motives which prompted it would then no longer exist.
"Your refusal is cruel, sir," said M.Tabaret; "but I understand it, and submit." That was his only complaint: and he withdrew almost immediately, fearing that he could no longer master his indignation.

He felt that, besides the great happiness of saving an innocent man, compromised by his imprudence, he would experience unspeakable delight in avenging himself for the magistrate's obstinacy.
"Three or four days," he muttered, "that is the same as three or four years to the unfortunate prisoner.

He takes things quite at his ease, this charming magistrate.

But I must find out the real truth of the case between now and then." Yes, M.Daburon only required three or four days to wring a confession from Albert, or at least to make him abandon his system of defence.
The difficulty of the prosecution was not being able to produce any witness who had seen the prisoner during the evening of Shrove Tuesday.
One deposition alone to that effect would have such great weight, that M.Daburon, as soon as Tabaret had left him, turned all his attention in that direction.

He could still hope for a great deal.