The Police System in Paris -- The Detective and the Countess

The Paris correspondent of the New Orleans' Delta relates the following: — 

A few days ago, an individual, neatly dressed, but abrupt in manner, as if conscious of exercising an authority impossible entirely to conceal, presented himself at the mansion of the Countess de S., a widow of large fortune, and asked to speak with her immediately. The servant who answered the summons informed the stranger, that her mistress was at breakfast, and did not receive visitors in the morning. If he would return at four o' clock he might be admitted.

'Four o'clock will not do,' replied the stranger. 'I must see Madame la Countess immediately. Have the goodness to tell her my business is urgent.'

Thus pressed, the girl left the visitor in the ante-chamber, and entered the dining-room, to ask Madame’s further orders. The door being left ajar, the unknown heard the Countess sharply reprimand her servant for bringing any such impertinent message; whereupon, without any further ceremony, he walked into the room, and presented himself before the aristocratic lady, who was greatly amazed and irritated at so audacious a proceeding.

'It is very strange, sir,' said she haughtily, 'that, contrary to my orders and wishes, you should so far forget the common impulses of decency as to present yourself here. I really cannot find terms in which to characterize your conduct. Nevertheless, as you have thus forced your way into my house, the readiest mode of inducing you to leave it peaceably will perhaps be to hear what you have to communicate. Explain the object of your visit as briefly as possible.'

'Madame,' coolly replied the stranger, totally unmoved by the asperity of the Countess's attitude and language, 'you will first do me the favor to send this servant from the room. It is absolutely necessary that I converse with you alone.'

'I have every confidence in my domestic,' rejoined the lady, whose anger commenced to give way to fear, 'and you can speak freely in her hearing.' 

Without replying to these observations, the intruder opened the door leading into the passage whence he had entered, took the girl by the arm, and thrust her outside. Now thoroughly alarmed, and satisfied that some nefarious project was about to be attempted, the Countess rushed toward a small spring-bell on the buffet; but, before she could reach it, the stranger seized the timbre, placed it on the table near her chair, and tranquilly said, 'Madame, you have no occasion to fear me. My object is to serve, not to injure you.'

Somewhat reassured by these words, Madame de S. resumed her seat, taking the precaution, however, to place her hand on the bell.

The stranger smiled.

'Madame,' said he, 'how many servants do you employ?'

'I will, perhaps, answer your question, sir,' replied the lady, 'when I have learned who you are, and what may be your object in interrogating me.'

'I have no time to waste in explanations, which might, in the event of my business ending fruitlessly, be worse than useless. I beg you to reply, without hesitation, to my seemingly impertinent inquiries. I repeat, how many servants have you?' 

'I do not know what impels me to satisfy you,' rejoined the Countess; 'but as your question, after all, is merely impertinent, as you admit, I will inform you that I have three domestics at the present time; one is an old servant of my father, who has been attached to me from infancy, and who is my attendant; the second is my Femme de chambre, whom you have just seen; and the third is my cook.'

'How long has the Femme de chambre been in your service?'

'For the last nine years.'

'Ah! and the cook. What sort of a person is the cook?' demanded the stranger, with a look of interest which convinced Madame de S. that mere curiosity was not his motive for this singular and minute examination.

'My cook,' said she 'is a woman perhaps thirty-five years of age, who has been in my house only a few days. She came to me with very excellent recommendations, and her conduct, thus far, has been irreproachable. Of course it is impossible in so short a time to judge with certainty; but Marie seems to me, in her sphere, a valuable acquisition.'

'Oh!' ejaculated the unknown, with a slight smile, 'the cook's name is Marie, is it? Well I should like to see her for a moment.'

'Very good, sir,' returned the Countess sarcastically, 'she is probably in the kitchen; and if your object was an interview with one of my servants, you might have saved me the annoyance of an inquisitorial intrusion by presenting yourself directly at the servant's entrance.'

Totally unmoved by this cut direct, the stranger rose, bowed politely to the Countess, and left the room. Beckoning to two men who seemed to be holding a desultory chat on the other side of the street, the curious visitor, accompanied by the talkers, re-entered Madame de S.'s house, made his way to the kitchen, and arrested the irreproachable Marie. Leaving his prisoner in charge of the two agents who had been waiting his orders, the stranger returned to the dining room, and again interrogated the Countess, as follows:—

'Do you not expect to receive in a day or two a large sum of money?’

'But, Sir, by what right — that is— how do you know?’

'Answer me, Madame. Do you or do you not expect a payment of 100,000 f.?'

'I do.' 

'Very well, Madame:. Your excellent cook, whom I have just arrested, is an escaped convict from the hulk's of Toulon, who intended to take that money off your hands.'

'Good heavens!' exclaimed the Countess, seizing the revealed detective's hand in both of her own, while tears of gratitude streamed from her eyes, 'you have saved my life.'

'I think it very likely, Madame,' returned the officer sententiously, 'and I have the honour to bid you good morning.'