ter the crime had been committed, and the money secured,
the murderers had felt the necessity of refreshing themselves.
They found the remains of their supper in the dining-room. They
had eaten up all the cold meats left in the cupboard. On the
table, beside eight empty bottles of wine and liqueurs, were ranged
five glasses.
"There were five of them," said the mayor.
By force of will, M. Courtois had recovered his self-possession.
"Before going to view the bodies," said he, "I will send word to
the procureur of Corbeil. In an hour, we will have a judge of
instruction, who will finish our painful task."
A gendarme was instructed to harness the count's buggy, and to
hasten to the procureur. Then the mayor and the justice, followed
by the brigadier, the valet de chambre, and the two Bertauds, took
their way toward the river.
The park of Valfeuillu was very wide from right to left. From the
house to the Seine it was almost two hundred steps. Before the
house was a grassy lawn, interspersed with flower-beds. Two paths
led across the lawn to the river-bank.
But the murderers had not followed the paths. Making a short cut,
they had gone straight across the lawn. Their traces were perfectly
visible. The grass was trampled and stamped down as if a heavy load
had been dragged over it. In the midst of the lawn they perceived
something red; M. Plantat went and picked it up. It was a slipper,
which the valet de chambre recognized as the count's. Farther on,
they found a white silk handkerchief, which the valet declared he
had often seen around the count's neck. This handkerchief was
stained with blood.
At last they arrived at the river-bank, under the willows from
which Philippe had intended to cut off a branch; there they saw the
body. The sand at this place was much indented by feet seeking a
firm support. Everything indicated that here had been the supreme
struggle.
M. Courtois understood all the importance of these traces.
"Let no one advance," said he, and, followed by
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John Addington Symonds (October 5, 1840 - April 19, 1893) was an English poet and literary critic. He was an early advocate of the validity of male love which included for him pederastic as well as egalitarian relationships, and which he would refer to as lamour de limpossible.