Upon his person was found a pocket-book containing several important papers. First, there was the following memoran dum : — "June, 1821 — M. Robert — hired a cellar in the Rue des Deux Portes. "Rue de Vaugirard, house with a beautiful fruit garden. "Hired for 700 francs from July — lease in my name. "Received money to buy a shovel, pickaxe, and watering-pot. "Same day bought half a bushel of lime." And on the back of this memorandum : — "Plan for the destruction of the Widow Houet, for the Roberts; and it was for that that the cellar was first hired, and then the house in the Rue de Vaugirard."
September, 1821. . . . Cowards that you are, you believe that your crime is expiated. . . . But you are at the foot of the scaffold. . . ." A plan was attached to this letter, and this plan was that of the garden in the Rue de Vaugirard. In a corner a red cross marked a certain spot and called attention to it. Finally, there was a last note, which read as follows : — "The court has entered as to Bastien a decree of non lieu (no ground of process), and as to Robert a decree of non lieu quant a present. This decision is irrevocable as to Bastien, who cannot be pursued further, according to the maxim : Non bis in idem. Even if he should confess him self guilty, he need feel no uneasiness. As to him, the matter is definitely settled."
This last note explained the audacity of Bastien, his persistence and his exasperated threats. He believed himself safe. A new investigation was commenced. It was established that the house and garden in the Rue de Vaugirard had been leased to Bastien by a widow lady named Blanchard, "Rue des Deux Portes, 2 1 . in July, 182 1. Bastien had stated that he "Rue de Vaugirard, 81. was living in the country, and wished to re "Mme. Veuve Blanchard. side in Paris with his wife, while their chil "M. Poisson. I dren were being educated. Later, Bastien "M. Roussel. told a woman named Sanze that he had hired "M. V6ron. the house for a friend who was coming to "M. Robert at Dannemoine near Tonnerre. live in it with his daughters. There was not "M. Cherest, advocate at Tonnerre." a word of truth in either of these stories. The first of these two memoranda ex At the end of a month of these suspicious plained the second. hesitations, Bastien dismissed the gardener Bastien's pocket-book also contained some who had up to that time taken care of the rough draughts of letters, in which occurred garden; the excuse given was economy. the following expressions : — The Widow Blanchard was uneasy at seeing Notwith "Wretched Robert, it is written that you shall the house remain unfurnished. not escape the punishment of your crime. . . . standing this absence of furniture and inhab itants, there were reports of nocturnal visitors Have you forgotten the place in the Rue de Vaugi rard which guards in its breast the victim who shall and of persons walking in the garden carry accuse you? Do not believe yourself safe .' . . . ing candles; the neighbors were excited by "You and your wife are assassins. Do you not these suspicious appearances. At the end recollect the cellar in the Rue des Deux Portes? of three months, no one having appeared, the And the house in the Rue de Vaugirard? And Widow Blanchard had the house opened in the disappearance of that mother on the 13th of the presence of a commissary of police. The It was then recalled that in 1824 another mysterious memorandum had been found upon Bastien, which the authorities had suspected referred to a crime, but it was im possible to establish that fact. That memo randum was thus conceived : —
