They began their task immediately, with an _empressement_ which could
not fail to silence all doubts, in case any existed in the minds of
their subordinates.
But who could be suspicious? The success of the plot had been all the
more certain from the fact that the baron's escape seemed likely to
injure the interests of the very parties who had favored it.
Martial thought he knew the details of the escape as exactly as the
fugitives themselves. He had been the author, even if they had been the
actors, of the drama of the preceding night.
He was soon obliged to admit that he was mistaken in this opinion.
The investigation revealed facts which seemed incomprehensible to him.
It was evident that the Baron d'Escorval and Corporal Bavois had been
compelled to accomplish two successive descents.
To do this the prisoners had realized (since they had succeeded) the
necessity of having two ropes. Martial had provided them; the prisoners
must have used them. And yet only one rope could be found--the one which
the peasant woman had perceived hanging from the rocky platform, where
it was made fast to an iron crowbar.
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