2l6|The Green Bag.|}}

with the deceased such suspicious relations, recognized in those which the murderer had who had occupied in her house so strange a left behind him. position, ought surely to receive the atten Another suspicious thing against the monk : tion of justice. since the arrest of Lebrun he had not ceased An old unfrocked monk, the Abbe Pou to make singular charges against him. He lard, was designated in the will of Madame affirmed that he alone was guilty of the mur Mazel under the name of Father Poulard, a der, and mingled with these charges offen ci-devant friar. Although he was not named sive insinuations against the memory of his for any special legacy, she had requested benefactress. Then he accused Lebrun of that after her death he be permitted to enjoy complicity with Berry, this man whom the in the same advantages which, he had during vestigation so obstinately ignored. "Ma her life. M. Rene de Savonnieres was dame Mazel," he said, " had in her youth had charged to look after and provide for the ex a child by a great lord, who had given her to communicated monk. educate it a large sum of money. This child The ex-Dominican had a sister named was no other than Berry, who afterward Madame Chapelain, the widow of a Coun became the lackey of his mother. Lebrun, cillor of Mans. This woman, indigent like initiated into all the secrets of his mistress, her brother, of an attractive person, was ad had revealed to Berry the history of his mired by M. George de Savonnieres, the birth, hoping to make him his son-in-law. second son of Madame Mazel. In spite of Lebrun had endeavored to have the bastard, her poverty she hoped to bring about a mar driven from his mother's house, restored to riage with the young treasurer, and by her her favor; he had introduced him in the skilful coquetry had so inflamed M. George night into her sleeping-chamber, and, suppli that he had shut his eyes to the unsuitable- cating and threatening, Berry had employed, ness of such a union. Madame Mazel, very to move Madame Mazel or to frighten her, set in her wishes, had opposed this marriage; prayers and entreaties. Passionate as she was, the mother could not listen coolly to his while the Abbi Poulard ardently desired it. It was said that some six months before words; she seized him by the throat, and, the crime M. George had shown his passion forced to defend himself, he had drawn a by gifts of great magnificence : he had given knife and killed her in a fit of rage and with the young widow a suit of brocade, the slip out premeditation." These contradictory assertions, this absurd pers and skirts of which were embroidered in gold and silver. The widow had accepted story, his interest in the death of Madame Mazel, his disreputable past life, all served these gifts, and continued her coquetries to wards the infatuated treasurer. M. Barbier to arouse the suspicions of the advocate against the monk. saw in these matrimonial intrigues an inter But the magistrates would see nothing, est in the death of Madame Mazel far more would hear nothing. It was necessary to powerful than any which could have actu ated poor Lebrun. The Abbe Poulard, an proceed with caution, for the direction given unscrupulous person, had recently had given to the investigation was suggested by M. to him the pass-key of Lebrun. He had Rene de Savonnieres. As regarded him, made it a point to announce, during the last M. Barbier also discovered some facts which meal taken with Madame Mazel, that he was set him to thinking. Rene de Savonnieres had married, some going to sleep that night in his room in the neighborhood. The Abbe had known at fifteen years before, a young girl, whose the house of Madame one Berry, who had scandalous conduct had provoked the harsh been discharged as a thief, and whose shirt ness of Madame Mazel. She had obtained and cravat had been believed to have been against her daughter-in-law a lettre de cachet.