Gaston Leroux

“ It was obvious that the business of the footprints on the ceiling was assuming the appearance of a gruesome jest, almost an insult to M. de Meyrentin. And prudent allusions were made to "the others":
"Ah 'they' know their way about! 'They' know their way about! . . ."
"Seems Blondel told them what he thought of them, yesterday."
"He won't tell them so to-day. . . . It's best to mind one's business. . . ."
And they called out to the magistrate, who was still looking in the air, as they might to a dog:
"Go find! Go find!" ”

“ Oh, it doesn't do to grow old! . . ."
"That'll do," said Coriolis, snatching the telegram from her. "Go away."
Gertrude made herself scarce. Coriolis read the telegram and the examining magistrate asked to see it.
"My nephew's telegram seems to worry you?" asked Coriolis.
"Very much so, monsieur, and I will tell you why. The question of knowing whether your nephew was expected at Saint-Martin or not is particularly important because we have to solve the problem which of the two they meant to murder last night: the commercial traveller or M. Patrice!" ”

“ Not a soul shall hear what must remain our secret until the moment when the criminal is punished and, therefore, made harmless. So trust me, M. Saint-Aubin, and speak out!"
Patrice described the incidents of the night as we know them, as circumstantially and accurately as possible. He felt a need to explain things to himself. Gradually, as he spoke, the magistrate's supposition appeared more and more plausible to him; and he shivered at the bare thought.
When he had finished, he looked at M. de Meyrentin with anxious eyes. The magistrate tugged nervously at his pepper-and-salt whiskers ”

“ They arrived just in time to hear him cry:
"Pity in the man's house! Pity in the man's house! Why did you call me: 'Patrice!'"
M. de Meyrentin could not help giving a start.
The doctor said:
It will be better to wake him and let his mind recover its balance. Dreams like that can only do him harm."
M. de Meyrentin made a sign to the doctor to hush and once more listened to the sleeping witness. But Patrice now uttered none but unintelligible sounds. The magistrate turned to Coriolis:
"You were not expecting your nephew?" he asked.
"He pretends that he sent me a telegram during the day. ”

“ No, those fellows were born to work just as and when they pleased. They would take on a job when the fit seized them, at vintage-time, for instance, when they got blind drunk on the thin wine of the hill-side. ”

“ The proof is that I saw Blondel's face distinctly."
"Then he must have seen it too; so set your mind at ease, Patrice. And tell me how my aunt is. Don't think any more about this horrid business. It's all a matter of political revenge, which doesn't concern us."
"The Vautrins again, eh?"
They were passing by the railed gate that opened on the fields.
"Take care! Don't speak so loud. There's always one of the albinos prowling about near here. What a scourge for the district!" ”

“ Coriolis' study was right at the top of the manor-house, in the belvedere-turret. Here the old man would sit and write throughout the night, after devoting the daylight hours to his work in the orchard.
All this at first seemed very mysterious to Patrice, especially during the earlier period, when his uncle used to display such ill-humour at his visits to the manor, two or three times a year, and when he was absolutely forbidden to enter the orchard. ”

“ Roubion and the mayor took leave of M. de Meyrentin when he raised Coriolis' knocker. Old Gertrude came and opened the door. She said that M. Patrice was "resting." The good woman seemed quite upset. The doctor said a word to reassure her.
Then Coriolis appeared upon the scene, in the devil's own temper, shaking his long white locks, hardly civil to the magistrate, complaining at being bothered with all this business and bitterly regretting that his nephew had come to disturb him at Saint-Martin without his permission. ”