authorities （who have plenty of time on their hands） failed to throw
any light on the secrets of the young man's life。 When the mistress of
the humble lodging…house in which he lived was questioned she said she
had never had a lodger whose moral conduct was as blameless。 He was
naturally amiable and gentle； and sometimes gay。 About a year before
the commission of the crime； his habits changed： he slept away from
home several times a month and often for consecutive nights； but where
she did not know； though she thought； from the state of his shoes when
he returned； that he must have been into the country。 She noticed that
although he appeared to have left the town； he never wore his heavy
boots； but always a pair of light shoes。 He shaved before starting；
and put on clean linen。 Hearing this； the police turned their
attention to houses of ill…fame and questionable resorts； but Jean…
Francois Tascheron was found to be wholly unknown among them。 The
authorities then made a search through the working…girl and /grisette/
class； but none of these women had had relations with the accused。
A crime without a motive is unheard of； especially in a young man
whose desire for education and whose laudable ambition gave him higher
ideas and a superior judgment to that of other workmen。 The police and
the examining justice； finding themselves balked in the above
directions； attributed the murder to a passion for gambling； but after
the most searching inquiries it was proved that Tascheron never played
cards。
At first Jean…Francois entrenched himself in a system of flat denials；
which； of course； in presence of a jury； would fall before proof； they
seemed to show the collusion of some person either well versed in law
or gifted with an intelligent mind。 The following are the chief proofs
the prosecution were prepared to present； and they are； as is
frequently the case in trials for murder； both important and trifling；
to wit：
The absence of Tascheron during the night of the crime； and his
refusal to say where he was； for the accused did not offer to set up
an alibi； a fragment of his blouse； torn off by the servant…woman in
the struggle； found close by on a tree to which the wind had carried
it； his presence that evening near Pingret's house； which was noticed
by passers and by persons living in the neighborhood； though it might
not have been remembered unless for the crime； a false key made by
Tascheron which fitted the door opening to the fields； this key was
found carefully buried two feet below one of the miser's holes； where
Monsieur des Vanneaulx； digging deep to make sure there was not
another layer of treasure…pots； chanced to find it； the police； after
many researches； found the different persons who had furnished
Tascheron with the iron； loaned him the vice； and given him the file；
with which the key was presumably made。
The key was the first real clue。 It put the police on the track of
Tascheron； whom they arrested on the frontiers of the department； in a
wood where he was awaiting the passage of a diligence。 An hour later
he would have started for America。
Besides all this； and in spite of the care with which certain
footmarks in the ploughed field and on the mud of the road had been
effaced and covered up； the searchers had found in several places the
imprint of shoes； which they carefully measured and described； and
which were afterwards found to correspond with the soles of
Tascheron's shoes taken from his lodgings。 This fatal proof confirmed
the statement of the landlady。 The authorities now attributed the
crime to some foreign influence； and not to the man's personal
intention； they believed he had accomplices； basing this idea on the
impossibility of one man carrying away the buried money； for however
strong he might be； no man could carry twenty…five thousand francs in
gold to any distance。 If each pot contained； as it was supposed to
have done； about that sum； this would have required four trips to and
from the clover…patch。 Now； a singular circumstance went far to prove
the hour at which the crime was committed。 In the terror Jeanne
Malassis must have felt on hearing her master's cries； she knocked
over； as she rose； the table at her bedside； on which lay her watch；
the only present the miser had given her in five years。 The mainspring
was broken by the shock； and the hands had stopped at two in the
morning。 By the middle of March （the date of the murder） daylight
dawns between five and six o'clock。 To whatever distance the gold had
been carried； Tascheron could not possibly； under any apparent
hypothesis； have transported it alone。
The care with which some of the footsteps were effaced； while others；
to which Tascheron's shoes fitted； remained； certainly pointed to some
mysterious assistant。 Forced into hypotheses； the authorities once
more attributed the crime to a desperate passion； not finding any
trace of the object of such a passion in the lower classes； they began
to look higher。 Perhaps some bourgeoise； sure of the discretion of a
man who had the face and bearing of a hero； had been drawn into a
romance the outcome of which was crime。
This supposition was to some extent justified by the facts of the
murder。 The old man had been killed by blows with a spade； evidently；
therefore； the murder was sudden； unpremeditated； fortuitous。 The
lovers might have planned the robbery； but not the murder。 The lover
and the miser； Tascheron and Pingret； each under the influence of his
master passion； must have met by the buried hoards； both drawn thither
by the gleaming of gold on the utter darkness of that fatal night。
In order to obtain； if possible； some light on this latter
supposition； the authorities arrested and kept in solitary confinement
a sister of Jean…Francois； to whom he was much attached； hoping to
obtain through her some clue to the mystery of her brother's private
life。 Denise Tascheron took refuge in total denial of any knowledge
whatever； which gave rise to a suspicion that she did know something
of the causes of the crime； although in fact she knew nothing。
The accused himself showed points of character that were rare amongst
the peasantry。 He baffled the cleverest police…spies employed against
him； without knowing their real character。 To the leading minds of the
magistracy his guilt seemed caused by the influence of passion； and
not by necessity or greed； as in the case of ordinary murderers； who
usually pass through stages of crime and punishment before they commit
the supreme deed。 Active and careful search was made in following up
this idea； but the uniform discretion of the prisoner gave no clue
whatever to his prosecutors。 The plausible theory of his attachment to
a woman of the upper classes having once been admitted； Jean…Francois
was subjected to the most insidious examination upon it； but his
caution triumphed over all the moral tortures the examining judge
applied to him。 When； making a final effort； that official told him
that the person for whom he had committed the crime was discovered and
arrested； his face did not change； and he replied ironically：
〃I should very much like to see him。〃
When the public were informed of these circumstances； many persons
adopted the suspicions of the magistrates； which seemed to be
confirmed by Tascheron's savage obstinacy in giving no account of
himself。 Increased interest was felt in a young man who was now a
problem。 It is easy to see how these elements kept public curiosity on
the /qui vive/； and with what eager interest the trial would be
followed。 But in spite of every effort on the part of the police； the
prosecution stopped short on the threshold of hypothesis； it did not
venture to go farther into the mystery where all was obscurity and
danger。 In certain judicial cases half…certainties are not sufficient
for the judges to proceed upon。 Nevertheless the case was ordered for
trial； in hopes that the truth would come to the surface when the case
was brought into court； an ordeal under which many criminals
contradict themselves。
Monsieur Graslin was one of the jury； so that either through her
husband or through Monsieur de Grandville； the public prosecutor；
Veronique knew all the details of the criminal trial which； for a
fortnight； kept the department； and we may say all France； in a state
of excitement。 The attitude maintained by the accused seemed to
justify the theory of the prosecution。 More than once when the court
opened； his eyes turned upon the brilliant assemblage of women who
came to find emotions in a real drama； as though he sought for some
one。 Each time that the man's glance； clear； but impenetrable； swept
along those elegant ranks； a movement was perceptible； a sort of
shock； as though each woman feared she might appear his accomplice
under the inquisitorial eyes of judge and prosecutor。
The hitherto useless efforts of the prosecution were now made public；
also the precautions taken by the criminal to ensure the success of
his crime。 It was shown that Jean…Francois Tascheron had obtained a
passport for North America some months before the crime was committed。
Thus the plan of leaving France was fully formed； the object of his
passion must therefore be a married woman； for he would have no reason
to flee the country with a young girl。 Possibly the crime had this one
object in view； namely； to obtain sufficient means to support this
unknown woman in comfort。
The prosecution had found no passport issued to a woman for North
America。 In case she had obtained one in Paris； the registers of that
city were searched； also those of the towns contingent to Limoges； but
without result。 All the shrewdest minds in the community followed the
case with deep attention。 While the more virtuous dames of the
department attributed the wearing of pumps on a muddy road （an
inexplicable circumstance in the ordinary lives of such shoes） to the
necessity of noiselessly watching old Pingret； the men pointed out
that pumps were very useful in silently passing through a houseup
stairways and along corridorswithout discovery。
So Jean…Francois Tascheron and his mistress （by this time she was
young； beautifu