Born in the south of France,
at Plassans, he had a carter for father. He had quitted the army with
the stripes of a sergeant-major, and for a long time had been general
porter at the station at Nantes. He had been promoted head porter
at Barentin, and it was there that he first saw Severine Aubry, the
god-daughter of President Grandmorin, whom he married. This was the sole
romance of his existence, and it was coupled with fortune, for apart
from Severine and her marriage portion of ten thousand francs, the
President, now a director of the Western Railway Company, got him
appointed assistant station-master at Havre. He proved an excellent
official, and the only thing against him was a suspicion that he was
affected by republican principles. For three years Roubaud's married
life was a happy one, until a chance lie of his wife's gave him a clue
to her former relations with Grandmorin. Driven frantic by jealousy, he
forced her to reveal the truth, afterwards compelling her to become
his accomplice in the murder of the President in the Havre express. The
Roubauds established an alibi, though slight suspicion attached to them,
and Denizet, the examining magistrate, endeavoured to fasten the crime
on Cabuche.
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