Free The Saint-Florentin Murders by Jean-François Parot Page B

others, filled with hatreds, jealousies, resentments and love affairs. We’re entering a fertile field, and we just have to harvest it. Everything will come together, all we have to do is wait and not frighten anyone off.’
    ‘I’m sure of that,’ said Bourdeau.
    ‘In the meantime, Pierre, get a message to our friends Semacgus and Sanson. I hope the victim’s body can be opened up as soon as possible: I need to have their opinion on that strange wound. I’d also like you to send an officer to keep an eye on the room where the suspect is.’
    The inspector was away for a short time. No sooner was he back than the door leading to the suite of apartments burst open, and a fairly elderly woman entered at an angle, hampered by the wide pannier of her old-fashioned dress. She was in Court mourning. She wore a jade necklace round her already emaciated neck, her face was blotchy, without rouge or ceruse, and her expression was one of barely contained indignation. A black silk fan, which she was shaking violently, accentuated the impression produced by this dramatic entrance.
    ‘Madame,’ said Nicolas with a little bow.
    ‘Monsieur, I am told that you are a commissioner at the Châtelet, and that you have been given the task of investigating the horrible death of that unfortunate creature. My God, how is it possible? What was I saying? Oh, yes, you are investigating, Monsieur. Your name is not unknown to me. Were you presented to the late Queen? Or to Mesdames?’
    ‘I had the good fortune to serve Madame Adélaïde, who often honoured me by inviting me to her hunts.’
    ‘That’s it! You’re young Ranreuil, who was so appreciated by the King. How fortunate we are, Monsieur, to be dealing with someone so well born, even though … Monsieur, you must hear me.’ She threw a fierce glance at Bourdeau. ‘Who is this gentleman?’
    ‘My deputy, Inspector Bourdeau. Fully the equal of myself.’
    ‘If you say so! Monsieur, this is all so terrible, but it was bound to happen. I had been dreading it for a long time. One cannot live like this without running the risk of such a tragedy one day.’
    ‘Madame, may I ask you to tell me whom I have the honour of addressing?’
    ‘What, Monsieur? I am the Duchesse de La Vrillière and this is my house.’ 
    Notes – CHAPTER II
    1 . See The Phantom of Rue Royale .

III
KNOT OF VIPERS
    There is no true friendship among those
    who serve in the same house
    L OPE DE V EGA
    This majestic announcement only half surprised Nicolas, who had already realised who the lady was. He had glimpsed her on several occasions at Versailles. She was reputed to be sanctimonious and sour-tempered, but he knew how unreliable Court rumours were, how often unjust and biased. Reacting to her with studied indifference had seemed to him the best way to take the sting out of this excessive display of wounded pride. It was, he thought with a smile, a kind of moral purging.
    ‘Madame,’ he said, ‘I am your obedient servant …’ Without letting her catch her breath, he continued, ‘I’ve been given to understand that Marguerite Pindron was part of your entourage, as a chambermaid.’
    ‘That’s going a little far, Monsieur. Entourage is a big and noble word. We’re talking about my domestic servants, that’s all – indeed, one of the most subordinate. I don’t know how she came to be working here, it happened quite recently, and, I should add, without my consent.’
    Nicolas knew that with this kind of witness, it was necessary to adopt one of two strategies: either attempt to restrain andchannel their natural outpourings, or let them have their say and hope that within the flood of their words there would be some interesting flotsam.
    ‘It’s true,’ resumed the duchesse, ‘that I have never had a word to say in this house, and that most of those who serve me were chosen for reasons which have nothing to do with me and which I prefer not to know. Oh, Monsieur, the misfortune of having to be