Then, they either fought or implored one another to do nothing.
In their anger, they shouted out that they would run and reveal everything, and terrified each other to death.

After this they shuddered, they humbled themselves, and promised with bitter tears to maintain silence.

They suffered most horribly, but had not the courage to cure themselves by placing a red-hot iron on the wound.

If they threatened one another to confess the crime, it was merely to strike terror into each other and drive away the thought, for they would never have had strength to speak and seek peace in punishment.
On more than twenty occasions, they went as far as the door of the commissariat of police, one following the other.

Now it was Laurent who wanted to confess the murder, now Therese who ran to give herself up.