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By Root 1322 0

Henri Dauvergne. Both Misard and Dauvergne confirmed that Roubaud had shown little interest in married life. Henri, whom Séverine had looked after at La Croix-de-Maufras, even alleged that one night, while still recovering from the accident, he thought he had heard Roubaud and Cabuche conspiring together outside his window, which explained a great deal and contradicted the assertion of the two accused that they did not know each other. Amongst the staff of the Railway Company there was a general feeling of anger and sorrow for the unfortunate victims — the poor young woman whose marital infidelity now seemed perfectly excusable, and the distinguished old gentleman whose name was now cleared of the ugly rumours that had been circulating about him.

But the new investigation had also aroused the passions of the Grandmorin family and, although they were quite prepared to help Monsieur Denizet with his inquiries, they made it more difficult for him to proceed with the charges he had in mind. The Lachesnayes were cock-a-hoop; they had always maintained that Roubaud was guilty and, being the self-seeking, greedy pair they were, they resented the bequest of La Croix-de-Maufras to Séverine. When the case was reopened, they saw it as their opportunity to contest the will. The only way of having the legacy rescinded was to disqualify Séverine on the grounds of animosity towards Grandmorin, and so they partially subscribed to Roubaud’s version of events, claiming that his wife had acted as an accomplice to the murder, helping Roubaud to kill Grandmorin, not to avenge some imaginary wrong done to her, but simply to rob him. Monsieur Denizet was forced to take issue with them, and with Berthe in particular, who felt very bitter against Séverine, her former friend, accusing her of every wickedness imaginable. The magistrate defended her character, becoming quite heated and angry the minute he felt there was any threat to his own interpretation of events, to the masterpiece of logical construction, so perfectly assembled, as he himself proudly declared, that the slightest alteration would bring the whole thing tumbling down. At one point, there were heated exchanges between the Lachesnayes and Madame Bonnehon. Madame Bonnehon, who had previously had a high opinion of Roubaud, now had nothing good to say about him. But she still spoke up in favour of his wife, for whom she had a great affection. She had every sympathy for this charming young lady who had fallen in love, and she was overcome by the tragic story of her violent death. She clearly had a complete disregard for money. Her niece should be ashamed of herself, raking up the question of the legacy again! If Séverine were guilty, it would mean that everything in Roubaud’s confession was true, and once again the President’s name would be dragged through the mud. If the truth had not been so ingeniously established by Monsieur Denizet’s investigation, it would have been necessary to invent it in order to preserve the family’s good name. She spoke with some bitterness of social circles in Rouen, where the affair was constantly on everyone’s lips. Now that age was creeping up on her, and the opulent, classically sculpted beauty she had cultivated was beginning to fade, her reign amongst the elite had come to an end. Only the day before, at a reception given by Madame Leboucq, the wife of the Appeal Court judge, the tall, elegant, dark-haired lady who had usurped her position, all sorts of lurid tales were being whispered, including details of Louisette’s misadventure, and any other piece of gossip that the public desire for vilification could fabricate. It was at this point that Monsieur Denizet intervened to inform her that Monsieur Leboucq would be acting as an assessor4 at the forthcoming Assizes. The Lachesnayes looked worried and fell silent; they seemed to have nothing more to say. Madame Bonnehon tried to reassure them. She was sure that justice would be done; the hearing would be presided over by her old friend Monsieur Desbazeilles, who these days, because of his rheumatism,