Dupin，sittingsteadilyinhisaccustomedarm-chair，wastheembodimentofrespectfulattention。Heworespectacles，duringthewholeinterview；andanoccasionalsignalglancebeneaththeirgreenglasses，sufficedtoconvincemethathesleptnotthelesssoundly，becausesilently，throughoutthesevenoreightleaden-footedhourswhichimmediatelyprecededthedepartureofthePrefect。
Inthemorning，Iprocured，atthePrefecture，afullreportofalltheevidenceelicited，and，atthevariousnewspaperoffices，acopyofeverypaperinwhich，fromfirsttolast，hadbeenpublishedanydecisiveinformationinregardtothissadaffair。Freedfromallthatwaspositivelydisproved，thismassofinformationstoodthus：
MarieRog阾lefttheresidenceofhermother，intheRuePav閑St。
Andr閑，aboutnineo’clockinthemorningofSundayJunethetwenty-second，18。Ingoingout，shegavenoticetoaMonsieurJacquesSt。Eustache，{*7}andtohimonly，ofherintentintentiontospendthedaywithanauntwhoresidedintheRuedesDr鬽es。TheRuedesDr鬽esisashortandnarrowbutpopulousthoroughfare，notfarfromthebanksoftheriver，andatadistanceofsometwomiles，inthemostdirectcoursepossible，fromthepensionofMadameRog阾。
St。EustachewastheacceptedsuitorofMarie，andlodged，aswellastookhismeals，atthepension。Hewastohavegoneforhisbetrothedatdusk，andtohaveescortedherhome。Intheafternoon，however，itcameontorainheavily；and，supposingthatshewouldremainallnightatheraunt’s，asshehaddoneundersimilarcircumstancesbefore，hedidnotthinkitnecessarytokeephispromise。Asnightdrewon，MadameRog阾whowasaninfirmoldlady，seventyyearsofage，washeardtoexpressafear“thatsheshouldneverseeMarieagain；“butthisobservationattractedlittleattentionatthetime。