This testimony seemed so important to the justice of the peace that he sent back a messenger to Gondreville to advise Lechesneau to proceed himself to Cinq-Cygne and arrest the four gentlemen, while he went to Michu's farm, so that the five arrests might be made simultaneously.
This new element was so convincing that Lechesneau started at once for Cinq-Cygne.

He knew well what pleasure would be felt in Troyes at such proceedings against the old nobles, the enemies of the people, now become the enemies of the Emperor.

In such circumstances a magistrate is very apt to take mere presumptive evidence for actual proof.
Nevertheless, on his way from Gondreville to Cinq-Cygne, in the senator's own carriage, it did occur to Lechesneau (who would certainly have made a fine magistrate had it not been for his love-affair, and the Emperor's sudden morality to which he owed his disgrace) to think the audacity of the young men and Michu a piece of folly which was not in keeping with what he knew of the judgment and character of Mademoiselle de Cinq-Cygne.

He imagined in his own mind some other motives for the deed than the restitution of Gondreville.

In all things, even in the magistracy, there is what may be called the conscience of a calling.
Lechesneau's perplexities came from this conscience, which all men put into the proper performance of the duties they like--scientific men into science, artists into art, judges into the rendering of justice.