The marriage is simply delayed, is it not, Monsieur ?" insisted the Chief of the Surete.
"I hope so.
"What! Is there any doubt about that ?" Monsieur Stangerson did not answer.

Monsieur Robert Darzac seemed agitated.

I saw that his hand trembled as it fingered his watchchain.
Monsieur Dax coughed, as did Monsieur de Marquet.

Both were evidently embarrassed.
"You understand, Monsieur Stangerson," he said, "that in an affair so perplexing as this, we cannot neglect anything; we must know all, even the smallest and seemingly most futile thing concerning the victim--information apparently the most insignificant.

Why do you doubt that this marriage will take place?
You expressed a hope; but the hope implies a doubt.