"Three goldsmiths on St Eloi's day, went to diner at another goldsmith's" "Three goldsmiths on St Eloi's day, went to diner at another burgess' put up, my lovely, your white petticoat, and show it back and front, put up, my lovely, your white petticoat, and show it back and front," "Three burgesses, on St Eloi's day, went to diner at another goldsmith's" "Three goldsmiths on St Eloi's day, went to diner at another goldsmith's put up, my lovely, your white petticoat, and show it back and front," "Doctor Godeuil?" "Yes, no, I'm not a doctor yet." "Not yet is fine with me." "Could you fix this for me?" "Close the door." "Sit there, please." "Stand your arm above the basin." " Nice knife stabbing." " It's not a knife stabbing." " Is that so?" " You see that I'm a chimney sweep." "I cut my arm while slipping from a roof." " For a cut so large it must be..." " The gutter." "It looks more like..." "You can't imagine how a gutter can be sharp." "I'm going to apply a dressing." "You don't miss Angouleme too much, Mr Godeuil?" "Who told you I come from Angouleme?" "I saw a little brochure there on Angouleme's fortifications." "Yes." "That town is good on the defense." "My father is a doctor there." "So you're following the family tradition." "I'm studying in Paris because I'm bored with my country and my family." "Your parents never showed much affection towards you, did they?" "Usually when one's living far from his relatives one's putting a portrait on his bedside or on the table." "But you have emptied your bag and there's no portrait around." "I don't know your name, Mr..." "I'm ready to bet that you have an older brother who didn't succceed as a doctor." "It worried your father who nurished a grief against you." "The younger brother is never forgiven for succeeding where the older brother failed." "It's old as the world." "Mechinet." "My name is Mechinet." "I'm your neighbour." " And you are a chimney sweep?" " Today I was a chimney sweep..." "Precisely, I was a chimney sweep..." "Don't worry, you'll understand later." "Would you like to have lunch with us tomorrow at noon?" "Don't say no, I'm sure you like raw meat." "Raw meat yes but..." "With the fat, I hope." "It's what makes the meat so tasty." "Mrs Mechinet is cooking it with potatoes and bacon." "It will make you lick your lips." "I'll have to apply another dressing anyway." "Good." "See you tomorrow then." "For Mrs Mechinet we reached an agreement, didn't we?" "It was the gutter." "So, I was right." "A knife cut, unh?" "Thanks again, Mr Godeuil." "See you tomorrow at noon, on the third floor." "Mr Mechinet, how did you guess I was a medecine student?" "The janitor, of course, Mr Boneuil!" "Come on!" "The janitor!" "Dr Godeuil, I suppose." "Yes, well, no, in fact I..." "My husband told me the whole story." "Come in quick." "Give me a drop, Mechinet." "It's a Vouvray that I've made coming in... from Vouvray." "For the main course I've planned a Chambertin that one of my friend..." "You won't drink another wine after this Vouvray, Mechinet." "It's white or red." "Not both." "I've made him take digestive salt from Vichy." "What's your opinion, Dr?" " It can only make him some good." " Cheers, then!" "To our new neighbour!" "Taste this." "Not bad?" "What do you think?" " Only happiness in this glass." " And so light." " One could drink all day." " All the same, be careful, Mrs." "You see, Mechinet, it's the doctor saying it." "You must be careful." "Taste it, taste the honey, the acacia..." " The almond." " And the nut." "Such a nectar!" "Such a nectar!" "But no nuts." "While Mrs Mechinet is serving I'm going to dress up." "Give me just a small potato, at least!" "It's not prudent." "It will be too fat." "At least it will have some taste." "It's you, Goulard." "Hello, Mrs Mechinet." "No, not again!" " What's the matter?" " There's a bloodbath." " At the Batignolles, I guess." " Exactly." "It always ends in blood there." "Caroline, put all this on the boiler." "We'll make it back as soon as possible." "Who is "we"?" "Mr Godeuil is coming with me." "I don't want to disturb you." "We can postpone the lunch if you want..." "It's much more interesting than a medecine class, you'll see." "Please, Mechinet, be careful and think about your little wife." "Come on, Caroline." "You're getting us late." "Godeuil, let's go." "This neighborood is a little bit dangerous, isn't it?" "Assuredly." "The Batignolles is the lair of the best cut-throaters and the sharpest knives of Paris." "It knives, it lashes in every corner but, let's recognize, with great talent." " So, Goulard, go on." "Tell me." " Another hit who turned wrong." "You see..." "Didn't I tell you so?" "There's no mistake on the victim?" "It happens sometimes." " They whack the wrong guy." " Maybe." "Anyway, the burgess could not defend himself, too old." "They made a mess out of him." "No method at all." "Say, chief?" "I don't want to be indiscreet but what do we do with him?" "Come on, Goulard." "Dr Godeuil is my guest." "If he's a doctor, then..." " It's there." " What are you doing?" "You're giving yourself in to the police?" "Why do you want me to give in?" "I don't know but if you committed a crime..." "Mr Godeuil, you don't realize what you're saying." "I've already observed this." "When one works on an empty stomach one often loses his head." " Who are you, at last?" " And now you're forgetting my name..." "My name is Mechinet." "I'm neither a chimney sweep nor a bank counselor." "Alright?" "Hey, there, what's happening?" "It's you, Chief." "Sorry, we did not recognize you." " So, what's the situation?" " A man named Pigorot." "You must know him under the name of Anthenor." "He used to be the hair-dresser of actresses." " Chief, the judge is upstairs." " Which one?" " You won't be happy." " I see." "They sent the big mouth again." "Ok, let's go." "Beware, disperse ahead!" "What's your opinion?" "It's you the Superintendant now, my dear Poletin." "But you're still chief, chief." "If you want my opinion it will be resolved promptly." "Judge Boisec, good luck!" "My poor Mechinet!" "You've come here for nothing." "Imagine that once his crime commited the murderer fled thinking that his victim had ceased to live." "But he was wrong." "The unfortunate old man was still breathing." "Inspect the corpse as thoroughly as I did and you will jump to the same conclusion." "Go on, have a look." "Well..." "I give you a hunch because you have to be a very good observer to see it." "Gathering all his strength, Mr Pigorot, aka Anthenor, dimped his finger in his blood and here, on the floor, he wrote the murderer's name, designing him to the law of men which I'm representing here." "Monis?" "That's the name he wrote before he died." "Monis." "I'm telling you now, my dear, that Pigorot had a nephew who gave him a visit yesterday evening." "And this nephew's name is..." "Monis...?" " I don't know." " Trol." "Trol." " And then?" " How can you" " say "and then"?" "Monistrol." " I've understood." "It's his only heir." "He came yesterday at 9 pm and left before 11." "The janitor is formal." " What else do you want?" " A confession." "But why complicating a simple case, Mechinet?" "Monistrol is probably an idiot but how could he deny since it's so obvious, it's even signed." "Me, I tell it's satisfying enough." "In your mouth, the word satisfying is taking all his value." "And I must confess it's a great help for me since" "I'm waited for at a very important reception." "At the Palais." " You see what I mean?" " No." " At the Palais!" " At the Palais." "At the Palais?" "I know, at the Palais de Justice." "No!" "At the Palais de l'Elysée, of course!" "You're so clumsy Mechinet!" "Between us, I'm anxious to compare the greetings of the President with those of Napoleon III." "I know what you're going to say." "Under the Empire or the Republic the gilding is always the same." " Indeed." "But I must hurry, the President is waiting for me to give the Commander's Cross to president Dantini, an excellent magistrate." " You surely know him?" " No." "I'm leaving you with my clerk." "Naturally, I will interrogate myself Monistrol early tomorrow morning." "Naturally." "Mr Judge." "Good evening, Gentlemen." "You're feeling better, Chief?" "How is your wound after yesterday's arrest?" "Mr Godeuil did a wonderful job stopping the bleeding." "I see, I see." "Mister is your doctor." " I'm not yet..." " He's the best." "Poletin, how did you learn about the nephew?" "The janitor, Chief." "I'd like to meet that brave woman." "I'll get her for you." "The judge seems, if I may say, very sure of himself." "I warned you." "He knows and sees everything and above all he understands very fast." " He's an ace." " I've finished, Gentlemen." " If you don't need me anymore." " You can go." " Gentlemen." " Thanks." "Pigorot collapsed at 10.40 pm yesterday evening." "His watch broke up when he fell on the floor." "It gives us... the hour of the crime." "Mr Mechinet?" "I've found something." "Yes?" "It was under the clerk's feet." "I've found it when he left." "Wax." "Green wax." "He had a good cellar, Anthenor the hair-dresser." "Sealed wine when I'm buying mine by the barrel." "Hair-cutting pays well." "You see this, Mr Godeuil?" "It's a clue." "Beginner's luck." "Monistrol." "Jewelry at home." "Gold and imitation. 1st floor." " I'm asking you where you're going?" " To see Mr Monistrol?" "What do you want with him?" "If someone is asking you will tell you don't know." "It's not you scrubing the staircase!" "If you're representatives it's the backdoor staircase." "I'm not breaking my back for nobodies." "And this, it belongs to nobodies?" "I don't understand why this ring is taking you so long." "For once, it's really gold." "If you had some real gold more often" "I would not be eating those awful cakes and drinking..." "I don't even know what I'm drinking!" "I tried to learn to Marie the method to prepare english tea but it's no use." "She's Breton yet." " It's not far from England." " We're not so poor, Clairette." "Stop calling me that name." "It's ridiculous." "When we're happy with the bare necessities why complaining, indeed?" "Theatre, restaurants are for the others." "As long as you're happy." "It's not my fault if clients are scarce." "And your uncle?" "Does he help us, your uncle?" "No." "Anyway, you don't dare asking anything from him." "Am I wrong?" "Police, open the door!" "Marie, stay in the kitchen with Pluton." " Are you George Monistrol?" " Yes." "Born?" "The 16th october of 1849 at Rochefort sur Meurt." "It's you indeed." "In the name of the law we arrest you." "Why?" "You're accused of the murder of your uncle, Auguste Pigorot." "Best known as Anthenor." "It's no use trying to deny." "Before dying, your uncle had the time to write the name of his murderer on the floor." "Listen, Sirs." "George, say something." "I've killed my uncle." "You see, it's not so hard to confess." "Come on, let's go." "My husband is innocent." "You won't take him with you." "Make no fuss, Lady." "You can't treat my husband this way." "You're not facing a nobody." "I'm an artist." "Clara Venus." "You surely have heard about me." "Clairette Bouttefigue, married Minestrol." "Until she married she was working in a tavern under the name Clara Venus." "No political songs." "Only licentious." "Love songs." "I keep repeating you I'm an artist." "Let's hasten up." "It's not everyday we have a guilty in a good mood." "Oh, my love." "My beloved, you're innocent as the lamb just born." "I beg you." "Tell me it's not you." "My darling, my darling, your Clara will not fail you." "I will move heaven and earth..." "After seeing you disguised as a chimney sweep then as a messenger" " how could I guess?" " You liked it yesterday evening?" "A lot." "But I have a lot of questions to ask you." "I'm asking some myself too." "The janitor described Anthenor as a miser of the worst kind." " It's odd, isn't it?" " Why that?" "Because a miser doesn't buy sealed wine." "So... the bit of cork I've found in the apartment..." "Comes from the outside." "You see how simple is an investigation." "So, you don't have a fiancée of course?" "I know why you're saying this." "Because you haven't seen a woman's portrait in this room." "No." "I'm saying this because a woman in love would already have sent you a note." "They're always afraid of being forgotten." "But don't worry, they grow out of it." "Then, to resume." "At this hour Monistrol is in jail." " He's waiting to be interrogated." " Why would he be waiting?" "Because Judge Boisec is late, of course." "After the reception at the Elysée where he probably bragged all evening and drank too much Champagne." " Very bad." " For his liver, assuredly." "I didn't think about his liver but about vanity and pride" "The Champagne is misleading." "It gives you the feeling of being higher." "Than time and men." "The strongest, the brightest, it's you." "It's not so unpleasant in fact." "It can even be helpful but in the case of Boisec you can see the amount of damages." " In the end, we both do the same job." " You sound the body, I sound the mind." "To make the foulness, the ugliness, the deceits, the anger getting out." "You're right." "Except that you have a lot of tools to cure your patients." "While I have only one to make the truth win." " Only one?" " Only one." "But what a tool, my nose!" "Aren't you forgetting the brain," "They work together." "They speak, they examinate, they argue on the case." "They have a rule, a motto." "All must coincide." "Every piece must fall in the right place." "Or else, it's a wrong lead." "Your brain and your nose do a lot of talking." "Hence the importance of not catching a cold." "Let's go." "Where are we going, Mr Mechinet?" "To see the janitor of the old Anthenor." "You remember it's her who discovered him in his blood while coming to do chores." "If he was so miser he probably did the chores himself." "Good, Mr Godeuil." "Very good." "Three burgesses, on St Eloi's day, went to diner at another goldsmith's..." "But it's my wife's voice." "Oh, you're here!" "What's that song?" "It's a little tune I hum from time to time." "I've heard the janitor singing it." "In fact the janitor heard me singing it here and there and..." " Caroline." "Only doctors are allowed to sing that tune." " It's understood?" " I did something bad, then?" "Very bad." "Come on." "Let's go now." "I got a good look at you yesterday when you were inspecting the victim's body and" "I noticed something odd." "It seems to make you glad." "Carry on." "Well, since the old Pigorot has been cut-throated..." " Which weapon?" " A very sharpened knife or one of these" " Catalan dagger they sell in the south." " Carry on." " At first glance it seems" "Pigorot used his own blood to write his murderer's name." "And then?" "Your special method of inspection got me puzzled." "When you took the watch out of the waistcoat pocket I thought it was to know the exact hour of the crime." "Then, I understood it was something else interesting you." "What then?" "I just followed your glance." "You discovered that the waistcoat pocket was on the left." "Because Pigorot had asked for it to his tailor." "It was a waistcoat made for a left-handed person." "But" "Pigorot wrote the murderer's name with his right hand." "Dear Mr Godeuil!" "Too bad that the medecine get you so busy." "You would have made a great detective." "Let's go." "I've been told to stay out of this appartment." " I'm inviting you, it's not the same." " It's the house of murder, people say." "Precisely, you're the most famous janitor in Paris." "You can't refuse the opportunity." "For sure, I would prefer to be in the police force than scrubing stairs." "It seems that I scrub since I'm born." "For example." "Old Anthenor always told me that I was putting too much wax." " Why that?" "Sit down, please" " Why?" "Why?" "The money, of course." "He didn't let it go easily." " He was stingy?" " You couldn't say better." "What's your opinion on the murder?" "I always thought it would end like this." "When you have so much money that you don't share with your family..." "You don't know him other relatives except the nephew?" " No." "I think there was only him." " Very nice, this Mr Monistrol." "Always polite, always gentle." "So, Pigorot and the nephew got along well?" "That's your impression?" "Yes." "Until the nephew married the singer." "You don't like her, that one, huh?" "It's only her or you hate all the singing women?" "I distrust creatures who take baths." "What do you mean?" "I don't find very honest to put oneself in a bath." "It's been said that singers and actresses do it all day." "It's very bad for health." "A doctor told me so." "What's your opinion, you?" "On the contrary." "Baths are very good for health." "To smell like a chick?" "No thanks." "Listen." "The singer came last week to see the old man." "That day I had sweeped like a slave but the staircase was not smelling wax but violet." "She had sprinkled herself with violet." "And I'm tellin you that it's her fault if it went wrong between Minestrol and his uncle." " He wanted money." " Of course." "So, Pigorot never gave him anything." "I learned that long before you." "How did he pay you for the chores?" "He was cutting my hair being an hair-dresser in his time." "But I already told you, didn't I?" "How did he proceed to cut your hair?" "I was sitting on a chair and he was behind me." " And then?" " And then, he took his cisors and comb and cut my hair, that's all!" "In which hand, the cisors?" "How would I know?" "Unless..." "Now that you ask me." "In the left hand." "All the same, the police force is extremely lucky to have you on his side." "It's true that I'm the one who discovered that the nephew was the murderer." "By the way, the nephew, Mr Monistrol, have you seen him going up to his uncle's on tuesday?" "I bet." "I've seen him for sure." "Did you see him coming back?" "It was night time then." "Since I tell you I've seen him." "I'm doing a good job in this house." "His face?" "You've seen his face?" "No." "But since his dog was following him" "I've immediately recognized him." "Can I ask you another question, dear Lady?" "Please do." "Did Mr Pigorot had a cellar?" "At first, when he came here, he owned one." "Do you know what the old stingy did then?" "He sold it." "He didn't drink wine anyway." "What's the use of keeping it then?" "I'm counting on you for keeping your repertory away from Mrs Mechinet's ears." "Tell me, Mr Mechinet." "Since Pigorot was left-handed it's not him writing the murderer's name." "And Minestrol is certainly not idiot enough to design himself." "Talking about idiocy you have seen nothing yet." "On this subject..." "Tell me." "Judge Boisec did not interrogate his culprit for long." "Of course, Chief." "Since the suspect made a confession it didn't last long." "You're lucky, he's still here." "I haven't bring him back to his cell yet." "I don't know if I can let you come in." "He's my doctor." "Let's begin from the start, Mr Monistrol." "A jeweler like you must make a lot of money?" " Am I right?" " Don't ridiculise me." "My business is not good, they probably told you." "How unfortunate for you." "What Mrs Monistrol have to say about it?" "Leave her out of this." "She's a remarkable wife." "A remarkable wife and a very good singer." " That's what everybody says." " My wife is not singing any longer." "It's the past." " It's finished since our wedding." " To resume, she only sings for you now." "So, it quickly turned bad last tuesday with your uncle?" "Very fast, indeed." "He refused to give you money." "Is that the reason?" "You killed him because he refused to give you money." "I already told you." "I couldn't make it." "I asked him for help but he refused." "So I beated him." "Sure." "You hit him with what at your hand." " What was it already?" " A poker." "A poker." "Of course, you were near the chimney?" "Yes." "If you had been in the kitchen it would have been a knife." "So, you hit him with the poker?" "Where did you hit him?" "I can't remember." "He had the throat opened slice." "I hit him to the throat." "Alright." "But a hit is not enough to cause such a wound." "The poker would have had to enter in the throat." "Wouldn't you rather have pierced through his throat?" "Yes, I've pierced him." "And after that?" "He collapsed." "Then he died." "Well, I thought he was dead." " Deceived husband." " What?" " Deceived husband" " I don't hear you." "He's a deceived husband" "And the poker then?" "Where did you put it?" "I think I left it there." "Am I silly!" "Of course, we found it near your uncle's body." "I have just to thank you before leaving you, Mr Monistrol." "I'm sure Judge Boisec did not ask you other questions?" "No." "I thought so." "See you soon, dear Sir." "And then Mr Mechinet leaves the poor Mr Monistrol to sink into his lies." "He was pitiful to look at." "Noone shows pity for me." "After such a day I would have need comforting." "To get back my strengths." "Mrs Mechinet, I think this Chambertin would do a lot of good to your husband." "Are you sure, Doctor?" "Think about it." "If the wine is wrong for him he should not drink." "But it's not the same if he drinks" " while knowing it's good for him." " Take this glass, Mechinet." "Doctor's orders." "In my opinion Monistrol is innocent." "Me I'm saying it's as usual." "There's a woman in this case." "I never ate a stew so delicious!" "You're the most lucky man." "Don't you think you should look after the woman?" "If you give me some stew I'll answer to you." " What's planned for tomorrow?" " Appointment at Monistrol's at 11 am." "Give me some fat." "That's it!" "It's only good with some fat." "What do you want?" "Good morning, dear Lady." "I'm Dr Larouge." "I'm the author of this medical encyclopedia." "All diseases in one book." "I've been said I would find clients in your building." "Is there someone ill here?" "To know that we have to look in my encyclopedia." "It's the only way of knowing if one's ill." "Do you want to have a look inside?" "See." "It's my name here." "Larouge." "Look at that." "Come on." "Don't be afraid." "A skeleton never hurt anyone." "See this." "All the inside of the head." "It's wonderful." "I often have a pain here in the neck." "Wait a moment." "May I?" "Over here you say?" "No, no, it's rather..." "I mean it's rather here." "Yes, exactly here." "It's the neck's muscles." "You're pulling too much on them." "You keep your head down too long." " It's the staircase, I'm sure." " Staircase?" "When I'm cleaning them." "Nobody in Paris cleans a staircase better than me." "That's another case." "Don't you have the impression that since you're born you're scrubing things?" "That's it." "Exactly." "Be careful, it could go up to your brain." "What should I do, Doctor?" " Eat cabbage." "That's the only remedy." " Cabbage?" "For the neck's muscles cabbage is the only solution." "And you must pass your fingers on your neck like this with the head up." "You see, like this?" "Upwards." "It looks like the tenants love their pets in this building." "Don't tell me." "It's Pluton, Mr Monistrol's pet." "The first floor's tenant." "The poor man was taken to jail yesterday." "Is that so?" "Imagine that he killed his uncle." "And the poor Mrs Monistrol is up there alone since then." "She's a very kind woman." "And she wears violet all the time." "She smells like a bunch of flowers." "Maybe it's the reason of her headaches." "Maybe." "We could look in your book, Dr. Maybe her illness is inside?" "There's nothing about flowers in my book." "I'm sorry." "You were saying about Mrs Monistrol?" "When she has a headache I bring her my onion soup." "I could put cabbage in my soup!" "It could do a lot of good to my neck!" "Good idea." "So you brought her some soup..." "Exactly on the evening of the crime." "If I could have guessed." "So, you have seen Pluton this evening?" "No." "He was with his master, Pluton." "And since Mr Monistrol was busy then killing his uncle..." "Of course, Pluton is following only his master." "It depends." "But it has to be a person he knows." "If I call him, for example, he comes to me." "It's a good dog." "Come on." "It's finished." " It's 11 am, Mr Godeuil." " But Mr, I..." "It's you." "Back to work, Mr Godeuil." "I'm" "Superintendant now and you're my assistant." "But don't let the janitor get her pawns at you." "She's really sick." "Come on." "Do you still need me, Mrs?" "No." "Thank you, Marie." "I do not know what I could tell you more, gentlemen." "Especially since I have an appointment with the judge at 4 pm." "I hope they will let me see my husband." "Poor Marinos!" "As if he could have commited..." "I have goose flesh thinking about it." "Look here." "Feel me." "Feel me, Superintendant." "I'm feeling." "I'm feeling you, dear Lady." "If your husband is innocent could you tell us why he's accusing himself?" " I don't understand." " But Mr Monistrol went to see his uncle in the evening of the murder of Mr Pigorot, didn't he?" "The day before." "Our uncle was killed on tuesday" " but my husband visited him on monday." " Are you so sure, Mrs?" "My husband was in Montrouge on tuesday evening." "What was he doing in Montrouge?" "He had received a message from a woman wishing to have an adorning repaired." "We can not afford to refuse work." "My husband took the omnibus on monday evening at seven." "How can you be so sure?" "I accompanied him and I saw him climbing in the omnibus." "So, he came back with the adorning?" "No." "There was no adorning." "Someone made a bad joke to my husband." "He moved for nothing." "A false adress." "George was very angry." "He came back walking." "Which hour did he came back?" "Almost midnight." "Can you imagine that?" "The poor man spent all that time asking in Montrouge if someone knew his client." "Did you keep this message?" "He probably kept it on himself." "Or maybe he threw it." "He was really very angry." "I'm sorry." "Mrs Monistrol, do you have a wine reserve?" " Yes." "We have a small cellar." " Could I visit?" "Of course, just let me take a candle." "Do not bother." "I will find my way." "My assistant will keep talking with you." "Ah..." "I knew it." "Doctor!" "Doctor!" "I'm sorry, Mr Superintendant." "I thought you were someone else." " Who?" " My doctor." "He's healing my pains in the neck caused by my scrubing." "He left me that big book until tomorrow where all is explained." "And why did you think I was a doctor?" "Looking at your back I thought it was him." "You both have the same coat." "I'm thanking you from the bottom of my heart, dear lady." "By the way." "Did you see Mr and Mrs Monistrol leaving last tuesday at 5 pm?" "Wait a minute." "Of course I've seen them." "But Mrs Monistrol came back shortly after." "With the dog?" "The dog accompanied them when they left but not when she came back." "It's the same evening that the uncle was killed and in the evening I went up and served her soup." "How Mr Monistrol was dressed up?" "He had the coat he always wears." "And no hat." "He never wears one." " Never?" " Never." " He tries to be original, I'm saying." " Maybe." " Then what, Pluton!" " Pluton, shut up." " He's only obeying my husband." " You mean he never leaves him?" " No... well... yes." " You mean he's always following him." "On the night of the murder of your uncle was he with his master?" "I can't remember." "Probably." "He took the omnibus with him?" "You've seen him climbing with your husband?" "I guess so." "I'm so nervous since this story happened." "All is fitting, chief." "Monistrol took the omnibus to Montrouge at 7 pm." "On the spot he asked for his way a few times since a witness is certain he talked to him at 9.30 and he had to come back walking." "Since the last omnibus is leaving from Montrouge at 9 pm." "He went the hard way to find his client." "You have the client's name?" "A certain Elvire D'Anjonie." "Very theatral." "She probably does not exist." " And the dog?" " No-one spoke about a dog, chief." "And dogs are not admitted in the omnibus." "I still don't understand why Monistrol is accusing himself of the murder." "To protect his wife, of course." "He knows she's behind the murder." "Why protecting her then?" "Because he loves her." "That's it." "When I told you there was a woman behind this." "But you never listen to me." "I'm leaving, chief." "If Poletin learns that I'm doing more investigation for you than for him..." "Alright." "Let's put it straight then." "We know Monistrol is lying to protect his wife but her, why is she lying?" " Who is she trying to protect?" " Her lover." "Exactly, a familiar of the Monistrol couple." "The janitor told me the dog is following his master or someone he knows very well." "Well, Pluton was not with his master in Montrouge since he was on the crime scene with the killer." "So, the dog knows the murderer!" "It won't be easy to make the dog talk, chief." "It made me thirsty." "What I understand is that you have to find the lover." "He must not be very proud to sleep with a singer." "Ex-singer, Mrs Mechinet." "Ex?" "Clara Venus doesn't sound very old." "Could you explain what we're doing here, Mr Mechinet?" "Pursuing the investigation." "What are we waiting for?" "This." "The judge is waiting for her at 4 pm." "She'll be on time." "Take off your hat." "Sorry?" " Take off your hat and give 10 cents to the kid for keeping it." "Oh, those fine police gentlemen!" "My assistant forgot his hat at Mrs Monistrol's." "She just went out." " And her maid?" " She's there alright." "Tell me, do Mr and Mrs Monistrol have a lot of visitors?" "From time to time." "The one I remember best is the man without hat." "Like Mr Monistrol." "I think they met when they were workers." "What's his name?" "I don't know." "You'd better not ask too much from me today." "I'm ill from the neck because of my scrubbing and since I'm taking my treatment I have headaches." "There are times like this." "You're unlucky." "Mrs just left." "Don't worry, delicious lady." "We've just the lost the adress of the man your landlady asked us to meet." "Which man?" "He comes from time to time." "Pluton likes him well." "That man working with Mr before Mr worked on his own?" "That's it." "It's Mr Victor." "Mr Victor." "And where does Mr Victor live?" "All is getting clear." " There's still something disturbing me." " What is it?" "The janitor at Pigorot's did not see the face of the murderer." "But two facts gave her the impression it was Monistrol alright." " The dog." " Not just the dog." " The coat." " You thought about it?" " Hello, chief." "Hello." " Still feeling bad?" "Why should I feel bad?" "You always have your doctor accompanying you." "Go and get me Monistrol's gear." "Mr Monistrol!" "Your hat." "How are you?" "Is this your coat?" "Yes." "Mr Godeuil." "What do you think about this coat?" " It's new." " It's new." "I know that." "My wife offered it to me two weeks ago." "A folly." "She should not have spend so much money." "Yes but the other coat was old, worn-out..." " What colour was it?" " Like this one." "It was the same coat." "It's true that it was worn-out." "What are you doing here, chief?" "We bring you new evidence." "Which evidence?" "My poor Mechinet." "He confessed." "He confessed it all." "I've just seen her wife." "She told me an unbelievable story to try saving his life." "An appointment in Montrouge." "What nonsense!" "Do you imagine that?" "In Montrouge." " I like his simplicity." " Why not in Pondichery or Chandernagor?" "But I'm not buying it." "No argument is holding in front of a confessing culprit." "That being sad, I'm signing the warrant and the case is over." "Mr Judge." "Before that may I ask Mrs Monistrol what she did" " with her husband's old coat?" " I wanted to give it to the poors but someone took it before." "Could you tell us who?" "One..." " One of our friends." " Thank you, Mrs." "What's this new story?" "Mr Judge, can I ask you to postpone your warrant?" "You're complicating the justice's work, Mr Mechinet." "What's on your mind?" "You want to change my culprit?" "The culprit doesn't matter." "Whoever the culprit you will resolve the case as usual." "I know that but meanwhile what do I look like?" " People will say I'm incompetent." " Let them say." "We'll stop at Barbeaux, the wine merchant in Rue des Petits Champs." "He has the best plonk in Paris." "You see what I mean?" "Very well, chief." "You think it's there?" "Yes, I'm sure it's this workshop." "Come on." "Provided that the bird is in the nest." "Who's there?" "It's to make an order." "A friend is sending me." " Hello, Victor." " Hello." " Who is sending you?" " An old man in the Batignolles." "A gift from him." "Sealed wine." "Green wax." "The best." "It seems you like to indulge." "And him!" "You look like real old pals." "Come on, sit down." " You won't leave so quickly." " What do you want from me?" "You didn't guess?" "Sit down, I tell you." "You murdered Pigorot better known as Anthenor when he was an hair-dresser for actresses." "You're Mrs Monistrol's lover." "Ain't that true?" "You wanted her for you only while killing two birds with one stone." "Send the husband in jail and enjoying the inheritance of the beautiful Clara Venus." "It's not because Pluton recognized me that..." "So you know the dog's name?" "I've worked with Monistrol for ten years." "I know his wife, his dog." "Of course you know his dog." "Under the pretext of an order you sent Monistrol in Montrouge." "His wife accompanied him to the omnibus then came back." "With the dog." "You were there watching her of course." "So you suggested to go with Pluton for a walk and he followed you." "He followed you up at Pigorot's like you wanted to." "Then you brought the dog back at home knowing that his master would soon be back from Montrouge." "What a nice dagger!" "Very pretty!" "The kind of blade cutting through flesh like butter." "Only problem is it's fragile." "Except... if you're protecting the tip." "The best protection being a bit of cork." "The good cork of a good bottle." "It does the trick." "Meurceaux 1869." "You have good taste, my boy." "Hats off." "Mrs Minestrol is really of good friend of yours." "She gave you the old coat of her husband." "She could have given it to some poors." "It should look good on you with a hat..." "Except that you don't wear hat." "Like your friend Monistrol." "You were wearing caps when you were workers and you were wearing nothing while waiting to become burgesses." "Mrs Monistrol confessed it all." "You're acccomplices." "It's not true." "I never told anything to Clara." "I know." "You did it on your own." "But she understood very fast." "I've had the idea when she offered the new coat to Monistrol." "It was now or never." "You understand?" "No?" " Of course." " My poor Victor." "Never would have been much better for you." "Or you should have inquired before." "To inquire?" "Do you want to know why Anthenor was hair-dressing all Paris?" "He had nimble fingers." "An exceptional gift in spite or thanks to the fact he was...?" "He was...?" "Left-handed!" "People that manage to write their murderer's name are very few." "But left-handed people writing their name with their right hand are still unheard-of." "You lost, my friend. 779a 00:51:43,440 ... 00:51:45,081 Six months later..." "That's what I call a Muscadet." "Fresh, keen, suple." "In one word, frank." "Enjoy it then." "In your profession you don't meet frankness every day." "Don't let him enjoying it too much, Dr. He's very precious to me, my Mechinet." "All is permitted today." "Hard labor for Victor the murderer of the little old man of Batignolles." "The little old man?" "The one who didn't drink wine?" "If he had drunk some maybe he would still be alive." "There was a lady in this case if I remember well." "A singer?" "Mrs Monistrol, yes." "Victor was her lover and the husband was accusing himself of the crime." "And she wasn't accused of complicity to murder." "Arguably she escaped the worst." "Why was he accusing himself that poor fellow?" "Love for his wife like Victor's act of love for his lover." "What a lot of damages she did for love, that singer!" "She tried to redeem herself swearing and crying that her husband was innocent." "Justice appreciated." "Conjugal repentance always pleases." " Me, I would have condemned her." " No need." "Eating her soup every day in front of her husband is the worst punishment for her." "It's the dog that I pity." "Dear Godeuil, where does it come from that elegance in dressing" " that I've noticed on you since a while" " Don't answer, Doctor." "I've understood." "There's a woman behind this." "Corrected by jcdr"