They put all their souls into them, and asked for nothing more from one another.

They waited.
One Thursday evening, before sitting down to the game of dominoes, the guests of the Raquin family had a chat, as usual.

A favourite subject of conversation was afforded by the experiences of old Michaud who was plied with questions respecting the strange and sinister adventures with which he must have been connected in the discharge of his former functions.

Then Grivet and Camille listened to the stories of the commissary with the affrighted and gaping countenances of small children listening to "Blue Beard" or "Tom Thumb." These tales terrified and amused them.
On this particular Thursday, Michaud, who had just given an account of a horrible murder, the details of which had made his audience shudder, added as he wagged his head: "And a great deal never comes out at all.

How many crimes remain undiscovered! How many murderers escape the justice of man!" "What!" exclaimed Grivet astonished, "you think there are foul creatures like that walking about the streets, people who have murdered and are not arrested ?" Olivier smiled with an air of disdain.
"My dear sir," he answered in his dictatorial tone, "if they are not arrested it is because no one is aware that they have committed a murder." This reasoning did not appear to convince Grivet, and Camille came to his assistance.
"I am of the opinion of M.Grivet," said he, with silly importance.