The Mystery of Orcival

he was adjusting it, the mayor cried out to him:

"Stop!"

The imprints left by the Bertauds on both sides of the ditch had
just caught his eye.

"What is this?" said he; "evidently someone has crossed here, and
not long ago; for the traces of the steps are quite fresh."

After an examination of some minutes he ordered that the ladder
should be placed farther off. When they had reached the boat, he
said to Jean, "Is this the boat with which you went to take up your
nets this morning?"

"Yes."

"Then," resumed M. Courtois, "what implements did you use? your
cast net is perfectly dry; this boat-hook and these oars have not
been wet for twenty-four hours."

The distress of the father and son became more and more evident.

"Do you persist in what you say, Bertaud?" said the mayor.

"Certainly."

"And you, Philippe?"

"Monsieur," stammered the young man, "we have told the truth."

"Really!" said M. Courtois, in an ironical tone. "Then you will
explain to the proper authorities how it was that you could see
anything from a boat which you had not entered. It will be proved
to you, also, that the body is in a position where it is impossible
to see it from the middle of the river. Then you will still have
to tell what these foot-prints on the grass are, which go from your
boat to the place where the ditch has been crossed several times
and by several persons."

The two Bertauds hung their heads.

"Brigadier," ordered the mayor, "arrest these two men in the name
of the law, and prevent all communication between them."

Philippe seemed to be ill. As for old Jean, he contented himself
with shrugging his shoulders and saying to his son:

"Well, you would have it so, wouldn't you?"

While the brigadier led the two poachers away, and shut them up
separately, and under the guard of his men, the justice and the
mayor returned to the park. "With all this," muttered M. Courtois,
"no traces of the count."

They proceeded to take up the body of the countess. The mayor sent
for t

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.

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