Thenhewentoffatarapidpace，reachedthemeadows，tookawideturninordertoshowhimselftosomepeasantswhodweltsomedistanceawayattheoppositesideofthedistrict，andcamebacktodineattheusualhour，tellinghisservantsallthatwassupposedtohavehappenedduringhiswalk.
Heslept，however，thatnight;hesleptwithaheavy，brutishsleeplikethesleepofcertainpersonscondemnedtodeath.Hedidnotopenhiseyesuntilthefirstglimmerofdawn，andhewaitedtillhisusualhourforriding，soastoexcitenosuspicion.
Thenhehadtobepresentattheinquiryastothecauseofdeath.Hedidsolikeasomnambulist，inakindofvisionwhichshowedhimmenandthingsasinadream，inacloudofintoxication，withthatsenseofunrealitywhichperplexesthemindatthetimeofthegreatestcatastrophes.
ButtheagonizedcryofMotherRoquepiercedhisheart.Atthatmomenthehadfeltinclinedtocasthimselfattheoldwoman’sfeetandtoexclaim：
\"Iamtheguiltyone！\"