Monsieur Lecoq, Émile Gaboriau

Émile Gaboriau (1832-1873) was an early writer of detective fiction. My personal discovery of this character and the author comes from a passage from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's A Study in Scarlet where Dr. Watson is asking about famous detectives. Sherlock Holmes dismisses Monsieur Lecoq as a buffoon. It's said that Doyle's Holmes overtook Lecoq in popularity and dwindled Lecoq's fame and popularity. Monsieur Lecoq is a two volume work of genius. Doyle is a good writer, to be sure, but his Holmes is not the equal of Gaboriau's Lecoq. Volumes 1 and 2 of this masterful literature can be found online at Gutenberg.org.  

Someone might ask themselves why I prefer Lecoq to Holmes. Holmes, without doubt, is probably capable of solving the murder mystery more quickly than Lecoq. Holmes has the ability to solve crimes instantly, almost subconsciously. Dr. Watson, with good reason, stumbles after him trying to understand the method to his madness. On the other hand, this is Lecoq's first detective mystery. He is not even a master of himself quite yet. 

Lecoq distinguishes himself from the other policemen when he captures May, the suspected murderer, by going to the rear of the wine house and preventing May's escape. While his superior is quick to dismiss the murder as a simple affair between thugs, Lecoq heard May exclaim, "Ah, it's the Prussians who are coming; I'm lost!", he realized that May was not a common thug.

Gevrol, his chief, is ready to walk away from the crime with little more interest, but Lecoq contradicts Gevrol's theory. The police are described as a backstabbing lot who bother each other in a competition for the top. Gevrol is near the top and Lecoq is just beginning. Repeatedly, Lecoq examines evidence, concocts a theory, and teases it out. He uncovers a brilliant means of communication between May and the outside world as he sits in prison, but is foiled by Gevrol betraying him. Gevrol is protective of his position, and mocks Lecoq. As a consequence, he sabotages him as much as he can.

Lecoq shows great imagination and wit. He has a kind of sidekick as well, "Father Absinthe" (named after his favorite drink). And, while Dr. Watson is an intelligent man made seemingly unintelligent next to Holmes, Father Absinthe is not terribly intelligent, more interested in pursuing a drink than in anything else. Despite Father Absinthe's inferior intellect, sometimes he is able to help ground Lecoq in the more obvious observations. When Lecoq is deeply discouraged, Father Absinthe's attitude helps restore Lecoq's confidence and he rejoins his efforts.

At the end of volume 1, he has essentially given up. In a stunt to discover the identity of May, he releases him in the hopes of following him to his lair. He succeeds. However, when he does find him, he does not recognize him. He is in fact the duke, Martial de Sairmeuse and when he comes upon the duke in his own house, he is cleaned up and unrecognizable.

Lecoq is about to give up towards the end of volume one when he seeks out the advice of  Père Tireauclair, (lit. Father Bringer of Light, or "Old man Brings-to-light"). Père Tireauclair is able to decipher the meaning of certain mysteries which have befuddled Lecoq on the basis of Lecoq's narrations. I find this to be a mixed bag. On the one hand, it's too easy a means to assist Lecoq penetrate the mystery. On the other, Lecoq is seen as a young man who has made mistakes. That goes to the essence of why I prefer him to Holmes. He is a young man whom I can follow, I can read his errors, and ultimately he is more of a human being while Holmes is ultimately a kind of superhero with super abilities. Where with Holmes or Agatha' Christie's Poirot, I am often left scratching my head wondering how these detectives are able to deduce the mysteries. With Lecoq, the deductions are much more lucid and comprehensible. He is a good detective, stubborn, intelligent, dedicated, honest, yet fallible, at times naive but correcting himself.

Volume 2 is mostly, save the epilogue, filling out the story, taking place 20 years earlier, behind the murder. Marie-Anne is the object of three men's desire, all of whom are ready to sacrifice everything to have her as their wife. The Martial de Sairmeuse, Chanlouineau the successful farmer who sacrifices everything to help her in her happiness, and Maurice D’Escorval who is the one who marries her.

Blanche is in love with Martial, and though once Marie-Anne's friend, she ultimately murders her in order to win over the object of her affection. The murder is attributed to Father Chupin who is himself a despicable fellow who is murdered but not for this particular crime. He takes the blame, but not before informing his eldest son about who the real murderer is.

Blanche is blackmailed by several characters and suffers a very unhappy life, despite, after having moved to Paris, being most envied at the highest social echelon. She cannot escape her guilt, though she feels justified as it happens to bring Martial back to her as her husband.

At the end, in the short epilogue, Leqoc is able to deceive Martial to a confession, but does not prosecute him. He is able to rescue his reputation and secure for himself a good future as an inspector.

The story is brilliant. In truth, the two volumes I read in two days, unable to put them down until I was finished with them. I am lucky to have discovered and followed the reference from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's A Study in Scarlet.