"
His thoughts had gone no further when Goguet, the smiling clerk, boldly
broke the silence with the trite remark: "What a pity such a clever
comedy didn't succeed."
These words startled the magistrate from his reverie. "Yes, a shameful
farce," said he, "and one I would never have authorized, had I not been
blinded by a mad longing to arrive at the truth. Such tricks only bring
the sacred majesty of justice into contempt!"
At these bitter words, Lecoq turned white with anger. This was the
second affront within an hour. The prisoner had first insulted him, and
now it was the magistrate's turn. "I am defeated," thought he. "I must
confess it. Fate is against me! Ah! if I had only succeeded!"
Disappointment alone had impelled M. Segmuller to utter these harsh
words; they were both cruel and unjust, and the magistrate soon
regretted them, and did everything in his power to drive them from
Lecoq's recollection. They met every day after this unfortunate
incident; and every morning, when the young detective came to give an
account of his investigations, they had a long conference together. For
Lecoq still continued his efforts; still labored on with an obstinacy
intensified by constant sneers; still pursued his investigations with
that cold and determined zeal which keeps one's faculties on the alert
for years.
The magistrate, however, was utterly discouraged. "We must abandon this
attempt," said he. "All the means of detection have been exhausted.
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