"But the evidence, say, of Madame Deluc, ( ! ) points especially presence of gang, vicinity thicket, at or epoch murder This I grant if there dozen gangs, such as described by Madame Deluc, in and vicinity Barrire du Roule at or period tragedy But the gang drawn upon itself the pointed animadversion, although the somewhat tardy and very suspicious evidence of Madame Deluc, only gang represented honest and scrupulous old lady as having eaten her cakes and swallowed her brandy, without putting themselves trouble of making her payment Et hinc ill ir ?

"But the precise evidence of Madame Deluc ? 'A gang of miscreants made their appearance, behaved boisterously, ate and drank without making payment, followed route young man and girl, returned inn about dusk, and recrossed the river in great haste '

"Now this 'great haste' very possibly seemed greater haste eyes of Madame Deluc, since she dwelt lingeringly and lamentingly upon her violated cakes and ale - cakes and ale she might still have entertained faint hope of compensation Why, otherwise, since about dusk, should she make point haste ? no cause for wonder, surely, that even gang of blackguards should make haste home, when wide river crossed in small boats, when storm impends, and when night approaches

" approaches; night yet arrived only about dusk indecent haste 'miscreants' offended the sober eyes of Madame Deluc But told very evening that Madame Deluc, as her eldest son, 'heard the screams of female vicinity inn ' And in what words does Madame Deluc designate the period evening at which these screams were heard ? ' soon after dark,' she says But 'soon after dark,' is, , dark; and 'about dusk' is as certainly daylight Thus abundantly clear gang quitted the Barrire du Roule prior screams overheard ( ? ) by Madame Deluc And although, in all the many reports evidence, the relative expressions are distinctly and invariably employed just as employed them conversation with yourself, no notice whatever gross discrepancy has, , been taken by any public journals, or by any Myrmidons of police

" add but one arguments against gang; but has, to my own understanding , weight altogether irresistible Under the circumstances of large reward offered, and full pardon to any King's evidence, imagined, for moment, that some member of gang of low ruffians, or of any body of men, have betrayed his accomplices of gang so placed, greedy of reward, or anxious for escape, as fearful of betrayal He betrays eagerly and early that not himself be betrayed secret divulged, very best of proof , , secret The horrors dark deed are known only to one, or two, living human beings, and to God

" sum up now the meagre yet certain fruits long analysis attained the idea either of fatal accident under the roof of Madame Deluc, or of murder perpetrated, thicket Barrire du Roule, by lover, or by an intimate and secret associate deceased This associate is of swarthy complexion This complexion, the 'hitch' bandage, 'sailor's knot,' the bonnet-ribbon is tied, point to seaman His companionship deceased, gay, but not an abject young girl, designates him as above the grade common sailor Here the well written and urgent communications journals are much way of corroboration The circumstance first elopement, as mentioned by Le Mercurie, tends to blend the idea seaman 'naval officer' first known led the unfortunate into crime

"And here, most fitly, comes the consideration continued absence of him dark complexion Let me pause to observe complexion man is dark and swarthy; no common swarthiness which constituted the sole point of remembrance, both as regards Valence and Madame Deluc But why man absent ? Was he murdered gang ? , why are there only traces assassinated girl ? The scene two outrages will naturally be supposed identical And where is his corpse ? The assassins would most probably have disposed of both same way But it said man lives, deterred from making himself known, through dread of being charged murder This consideration supposed to operate upon him now - late period - since given in evidence that seen with Marie - but it had no force period deed The first impulse of an innocent man to announce the outrage, and to aid in identifying the ruffians This policy suggested He seen girl He had crossed the river with her in an open ferry-boat The denouncing assassins appeared, even to an idiot, the surest and sole means of relieving himself from suspicion suppose him, night fatal Sunday, both innocent himself and incognizant of an outrage committed Yet only under such circumstances possible to imagine that failed, if alive, denouncement assassins