The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-11-23

troubled TO tell why, and especially to
say what ought so have been done.
was none the less deeply interested
in Monistrol.
1t seemed as if his cause was my
own And this was very natural; my
youthful vanity was aroused. Was it
NOT remark OF mine, thai had raised
the first doubts in regard to the unfor
+, tnnate mans guilt,
II must prove his innocence, " sait
to myself.
Unfortunately the arguments carried
on during the evening had disturbed
my mind SO much, that | no longel
knew on what fact to erect my struc
ture. As always happens when we fil
cur minds too long on the solution of q
problem, my ideas became as confused
as skein in the hands of a child. ]
no longer saw clearly, everything was
chaos.
Leaning back in my armchair, was
still rackiDg my brain when Monsieur
Mechinet, faithful to the promise made
the evening before, came tor me.
"Come, come" he said, shaking me
rudely; for had not heard him enter,
''let's be Off"
"Pm ready" | said, rising.
We hastily went down stairs, and ]
then noticed that my worthy neighbor
was dressed with more care than usual.
He had succeeded in giving himself
that easy, well-to-do air, which is so
particularly attractive to the Partisan
shop keeper.
His good spirits were those of man
sure of himself, who is advancing to
certain victory,
We were soon in the street, and
while we were walking on our way
"Well,' he asked, what do you
think of my wife? l pass for sharp
fellow at the prefecture, and yet con-
suit her. Moliere consulted his serv-
ant-and I've often profited by her sd
vice. She has one weakness; TO her
there are no clumsy crimes, and her
imagination lends all VILLAINS the pow
er of diabolical combinations. But as
l have precisely the opposite failing,
and am perhaps a little too positive,
it's rare that the truth does not appear
during our consultations"
''Whatm l cried, 'you think you
have penetrated the mystery Of the
Monistrol AFFAIR.""
He stopped short, drew his snuff box
out of his pocket, took three or four
of his imaginary pinches, and replied, -
Sat least l have the means of pene
trating it,"
Meantime we had reached the top of
the Rue Vivienne, not far from Mouis-
trolls shop.
"Pay attention" said Monsieur Me
chinet; 'follow me, and whatever
happens, let nothing surprise you"
He did well to warn me, or l should
have been greatly astonished to see him
abruptly enter an umbrella shop.
Stiff and grave as an Englishman,
he turned over the whole stock, found |
nothing to suit him, and at last asked
whether an umbrella could be made |
for him like a pattern which he would
furnish.
He was told that it would be the
easiest thing in the world, and went
out saying he would come back the
next morning.
The half hour spent in the shop had
certainly not been lost.
While examining the umbrellas plac-
ed before him, he had sufficient art
to draw from the shop keepers all
that they knew of Monsieur and
Madame Monistrol.
1t was an easy matter. after all, for
the affair of the ''little old man of the
and the arrest of the dea-
Ter in imitation jewelry had caused
grea: excitement throughout the neigh
borhood, and vas the universal subject
Of conversi alton. There" said he,
when We were outside, 'that's the way
to obtain exact information. When
people know with whom they are deal
ing, they strike attitudes, make stilt
ed speeches, and then good bye to the
TRUTH
Monsieur Mechinet repeated this
farce in seven or eight shops in the
neighborhood, and even spent twenty
francs in one, whose owners were quite
and not disposed to talk.
But after two hours of this strange I
which greatly amused me,
We were thoroughly posted in regard
20 public opinion. We knew precisely
what was thought of Monsieur and
Madame Monistrol in the neighbor
hood where they had lived since their
thss is, four years.
There was but one opinion about the
husband.
He was said TO be the best and kind
sst of men, obliging, honest, intelli
rent, and industrious. If be had not
in his business, it was be-
,ause fortune does not always favor
hose who are most deserving He had I
made the mistake of hiring shop de-
Toted to neutrality-suspicious. merchants
lad been ruined in it within fifteen
Tears.
He worshipped his wife, everybody
Knew aud said, but this great love had
never passed proper limits, never ex-
posed him to ridicule.
No Ole could believe in his guilt. Il
His arrest, it wa2 said, must be a
mistake On the part OF the police.
Opinions were divided in regard to
Madame Monistrol. 1
Some thought her too fine for her
others said that fashionable
was one of the necessities Of
Ter business 1t was generally beliey-
d that she sincerely loved her hus-
'and, and she was universally praised
or her prudence, prudence the more ,
neritorious because she was remarka
'ly beautiful and besieged by ngmer-
,us admirers. But she had never Civ
N occasion for gossip, not the slightest