“Murdered? Mon Dieu , how terrible!”

The surprise and the sorrow were excellently done⁠—so well done, indeed, as to seem wholly natural.

“Madame Kettering was strangled between Paris and Lyons,” continued M. Carrège, “and her jewels were stolen.”

“It is iniquitous!” cried the Count warmly; “the police should do something about these train bandits. Nowadays no one is safe.”

“In Madame’s handbag,” continued the Judge, “we found a letter to her from you. She had, it seemed, arranged to meet you?”

The Count shrugged his shoulders and spread out his hands.