Granville's estate

Louis had never heard the name of the so-called police officer Guillonet du Clermont, but even the dullest person could smell a hint of ominousness in his duties: without sending a business card in advance to make an appointment Now, a businessman who bought tea from them and a senior police officer—who happens to be the senior police officer in charge of the No.12 district where Sologne is located—suddenly came to the door at the same time. good thing.

"Are the gentlemen out now?"

Alrede obviously also realized that something was wrong, he hurried out without waiting for Father Tongsar to answer, and Louis hurriedly got up and followed closely behind.

"Excuse me! Is M. de Granville here?"

They had hardly reached the stairs when they heard a very rude male voice downstairs, which sounded like the dull growl of a cow: "Monsieur de Granville, thanks to you, Jacques Ber Nader is coming to visit!"

Jacques Bernard, a businessman who bought tea from Al Laide and Sologne, is about 40 years old, with gray-black hair, a solid figure, darker complexion, and a rude expression, which shows that he is not the kind of pampered and elegant person in Paris , but a real businessman who has worked his way out of many goods and chores; perhaps because the tea business has more dealings with the British, he wears a very British-style shirt with a ruffled collar and double cuffs He wore a dark tuxedo with a "V" collar, but the tuxedo was very baggy and the cuffs were rolled up, and it looked even more nondescript when paired with the long burlap boots on his feet.

With Jacques Bernard, who entered 79 Rue Saint-Georges without the owner's consent, was the senior police officer Guillonet du Clermont, a plain-looking officer with eagle-like eyes. The sharp gray-blue eyes are enough to make any outlaw who wants to do evil things look at him with horror; Flat shoes, and a black beaver fur hat is casually tucked under the left arm.

"Ah, Comte de Granville, it is a pleasure to see you here again!"

When Alrede and Louis came down from the second floor, Jacques Bernard, who saw them, said this in a very uncomfortable voice, and his eccentric tone didn't need anyone who was sensitive to feel it: " I thought you too jumped out of the window and went to England, Germany, or Italy!"

These words sounded extremely unfriendly, and Alred frowned slightly.

"Mr. Bernard, what you said is really confusing. I don't understand what you mean." Alred said, he felt that something was not right, and the usual smile on his face disappeared: " I don’t know what’s the matter with you and Mr. Du Clermont’s sudden visit? You didn’t even ask someone to send you a business card in advance, so I didn’t know what to do when I wanted to entertain the two of you.”

"Ah, hospitality! I can't afford your hospitality. To be honest, to be able to see you, the noble Earl, is already the great luck that God bestows on me, a mere small businessman, isn't it?"

"Gentlemen," said Louis, who couldn't stand the way this Mr. Bernard spoke to his friend in a strange way: "No matter what it is, I think we can sit down first, and then have a good time." Let's talk, if you stand here all the time, you won't be able to talk calmly, can you?"

After hearing what Louis said, Officer Jillone Du Clermont, who had been looking at the internal structure and furnishings of No. 79 St. Georges Street since he walked in, turned his head. He just glanced at Louis and ignored him. Instead, he shifted his gaze to Alred.

"I think you are M. Alred de Granville, son of Count Fernand de Granville of Chablis."

"Yes, Mr. Inspector," said Allred, noticing that Inspector Claremont's right hand had been stuck in the pocket of his dark gray coat—a slightly bulging pocket that probably contained a pistol— When he realized this, Alred felt his palms start to sweat slightly: "I don't know why you came to me?"

"I'm here on a case in District No. 12, Monsieur de Granville," said Clermont, his hawk-like gray-blue eyes fixed on Alred, and even the slightest expression on his face Changes are not spared: "I want you to answer me some questions truthfully. Do you know a person named Sologne Grostedt? This person has a law degree at the University of Paris and lived in Paris before that. No. 12 Moore Street, Holy Temple, District 150."

"Monsieur Inspector, if I am not mistaken, you are referring to Sologne Grostedt, distant nephew of the Vicomtesse de Bourgogne, whom I do know," said Alred, deliberately referring to Sologne. Regarding the relationship between Rogne and the noble lady, Officer Clermont's expression didn't even change even the slightest. Instead, Jacques Bernard next to him snorted heavily from his nose.

"Then, Monsieur de Granville, do you share a tea business with Sologne Grostedt, and store your goods in a warehouse at 150 Two Moore Street?"

This time Alred hesitated. He stared at Officer Claremont's face, trying to find some clues from his expression, but that officer's expression was very calm, neither disdainful nor angry, which was even shocking. I couldn't figure out what he meant by asking.

Jacques Bernard on the side laughed at Alred's hesitation.

"What, Mr. Earl? Could it be that the person who signed the contract for my purchase of tea together with Sologne Grostedt and took me to check the condition of the goods at No. 150 Moore Street, is actually not Isn't it you?"

Bernard wanted to continue, but Officer Du Clermont made a gesture with his left hand to stop him, so he temporarily shut his mouth unwillingly.

"Monsieur de Granville, please answer my question now."

"There is such a thing, sir." Alred said with some difficulty, he felt that his voice was light, it sounded very strange, and it didn't even sound like his own voice.

"Ah, Monsieur Inspector, you see, it's obvious!"

Jacques Bernard yelled angrily, growling at Alred like a irascible lion, almost splashing his saliva on the other's face: "Look, look, what's the matter, A nobleman, a count, who wears the noble coat of arms of your family, and commits crimes, to deceive an honest little old man in business!"

"Mr. Jacques Bernard!" Louis snapped, "Pay attention to your words, you are slandering the character and reputation of a nobleman!"

"Sir, although I don't know who you are, you'd better wait until the earl can keep his family and his own reputation before the judge, and then come and say this to me!"

Just as Louis and Bernard were about to quarrel, Alred slammed his fist hard on the wooden handrail of the stairs.

"Monsieur Du Clermont," Alred said to the police officer, perhaps knowing that the visitor was not good, he calmed down instead: "Please tell me what is going on? You and Monsieur Jacques Bernard came into my house without my invitation, and in the name of your position, I have kindly done my duty to cooperate with your investigation, and now I am so rudely approached by Monsieur Bernard. Accusation. If I cannot get a just answer, I shall challenge Monsieur Bernard to a duel for the honor of my family."

Guillonet du Clermont did not even change his countenance in the face of Alrede's exasperated words.

"Monsieur de Granville, I regret to inform you that Monsieur Jacques Bernard reported to our police station that he had bought a huge quantity of Chinese tea from you and Sologne Grostedt, but he The quality of these so-called Chinese teas is found to be very suspicious; after his inspection, 150% of the so-called fine, medium and ordinary teas sent out from your warehouse at No. That is to say, you and Mr. Sologne Grostedt, as well as your accomplices, are now suspected of participating in this fraudulent crime, and the reputation of your family is not tied to Jacques Bernard. not on Mr De, but on you, and is crumbling because of your actions."

"You, what did you say?"

The words from Officer Clement's mouth were like a hammer, hitting Alred's heart hard. He suddenly felt his eyes begin to darken, and his ears began to ring.

"Al!"

Louis couldn't believe how shocking the facts he had heard. He rushed over to support Alred who was about to fall, and took him to the chair in the living room on the first floor to sit down: "Al, how do you feel?" Mary! Joseph! Get the smelling salts!"

Mary on the second floor responded in horror, and she gave the bottle of smelling salts to Father Tonsart to take it down. The well-informed porter heard the whole process behind Louis, and as soon as he came to a He swears to Officer Claremont in panic, "Mr. Officer, I'm just the janitor here. I don't know anything they do!"

This sounds really irritating, but Louis no longer cared about Papa Tonsal's actions. He snatched the smelling salt bottle from the janitor's hand, unscrewed the cap under Alred's nose, and called out anxiously. Allred's name.

It took a long time for Alred to wake up. He didn't know where the strength came from. He pushed away Louis' hand holding the smelling salts, then stared into Officer Clermont's eyes, and asked word by word: "Sir, I can swear to the Virgin Mary that I don't know the illegal things you said. Is there any solid evidence for everything you just said? And Sologne Grostedt, where is he now? ?”

"Of course we have sufficient evidence to come here."

It was Jacques Bernard who answered Alrede, and the businessman triumphantly admired Alrede's plight: "Before we came here, we had already gone to No. 150 Moore Street, and your accomplice walked through the window I saw Constable Monsieur Du Clermont here, and he jumped out of the window and ran away before we even reached the second floor; but the worker in that warehouse, and the dyer next to your warehouse People can't run away."

"dye house?"