The Man with the Lead Stomach Read Online Free PDF Page B

and the honour of his family, because in my opinion the examination will show that he was murdered.’
    NOTES – CHAPTER I
    1 . It was submitted to Louis XV on 30 November 1761.
    2 . Victoire de France (1733–1799), the second daughter of Louis XV and Maria Leszczyńska.
    3 . The names given to the two opposite sides of the auditorium where supporters of the French or Italian styles of opera gathered at the time of the ‘quarrel of the corners’.
    4 . The comic sequence of the opera Les Paladins that was strongly criticised at the time.
    5 . A tragic opera in five acts by Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed on 5 December 1749, in which, amongst other innovations, the composer replaced the prologue with an overture.
    6 . This suggestion of Nicolas’s was in fact implemented by Sartine in 1764.
    7 . Lenoir, the Lieutenant General of Police, improved the lighting of Paris by introducing streetlamps to replace candle lanterns.
    8 . See The Châtelet Apprentice , Chapter I.
    9 . A fine, hard-grained limestone.
    10 . It was common practice at the time to send precautionary letters to the Lieutenant General of Police.
    11 . The morgue, situated in the cellars of the Châtelet (cf. The Châtelet Apprentice ).

II
RECONNAISSANCE MISSION
    ‘The truth is perhaps what you do not want to hear; but if I do not tell you it now there will be no point in my revealing it to you on another occasion.’
    Q UINTUS C URTIUS
    Monsieur de Sartine did not immediately reply to this calmly delivered statement. He reacted only with a doubtful expression followed by a sort of wince. He took a deep breath, put his hands together and, having cleared his throat, finally spoke.
    ‘Monsieur, I might well have been perplexed by the gravity of what you have said, and, I make no secret of it, my initial reaction should have been to put you back on routine duties. However, I have not forgotten that the reason for your presence here was precisely to deal with matters that are out of the ordinary. Besides, your suspicion takes a weight off my mind. As usual you will not give me any explanations and will save up your dramatic effects until your magic lantern suddenly lights up the truth, which until that moment will have been apparent to you alone …’
    ‘Monsieur …’
    ‘No, no, no. I am not listening and wish to hear no more. You are a commissioner and a magistrate, and as such I am entrustingthis investigation to you. I am leaving it to you, putting it entirely in your hands and will have nothing further to do with it. And do not try to drag me into one of those complicated demonstrations you specialise in because you think you know it all and want to show you do. Whether you are right or wrong does not matter for the moment. I plan to leave you and make my way quickly to Versailles to deal with more urgent aspects of the case. I shall alert Monsieur de Florentin 1 in order to use my modest influence to combat the storm that the Comte de Ruissec will undoubtedly stir up. But we have one ace up our sleeves. Not so long ago Madame Victoire called our minister “a fool”; as always at Court the remark was repeated to him and however meek and mild he may seem he’s bound to be pleased at the prospect of going against her sister Adélaïde and saying the right things to the King. His Majesty has total confidence in him and does not like the normal course of his justice to be impeded. No, no, do not interrupt …’
    Nicolas disregarded the Lieutenant General’s order. ‘You will not find Monsieur de Saint-Florentin at Versailles.’
    ‘What do you mean? Who are you referring to?’
    ‘The minister, Monsieur.’
    ‘So not only have you made up your mind about this suicide but you also claim to know the minister’s whereabouts.’
    ‘I am your pupil, Monsieur, and your obedient servant. Nothing that happens in Paris escapes me. The contrary would be proof that I neglect my duties and then you really would have cause to complain about my ignorance