Dr. D'Avrigny explains: Noirtier drank the lemonade but was unaffected because his body had built a resistance to the poison. Barrois was definitely an unintended victim. Then, in sub-Sherlock manner, the doctor slowly builds a case that Valentine is the poisoner! His reasoning: she can inherit the Saint-Meran fortune and the Noirtier fortune! So, we might ask, how did Monsieur de Saint-Meran die, living 3 days away in Marseilles? And here's where Dumas lets us down just a bit- Valentine packed his meds. But... why? It takes 3-4 days for a person, or a package to get from Paris to Marseilles. Why should Val be responsible for that, instead of a druggist in Marseilles handling this directly?

V is stunned by the accusation, and pleads with the doctor to not publicize these suspicions. The doctor agrees to keep silent, but says not to bother calling him if anyone else in the house gets sick/drops dead from poisoning!

Switch to Caderousse and Andrea! At last sighting, the Cad was blackmailing Andrea because he knows that the young man is the criminal, Benedetto! The Cad is now renting a place, posing as a retired baker. He wants MORE MONEY from Andrea now- 500 francs a month! The Cad offers to disappear for a lump sum of 30,000 francs. Andrea leaks out some intel that the Count will be at the other house at Auteuil, so his house (Champs-Elysses) will be empty. At the Cad's urging, Andrea draws out a floor plan of the Count's home, and gives the Cad a diamond ring to cut a pane of glass.

Discussion points:

1. Any reason to believe that Val really is the poisoner? Or is there someone else in the house who also stands to benefit from the deaths of the Saint-Merans, and Noirtier?
2. Does this little incident put V further on the path to humanity? He's truly distressed by the doctor's suspicions, and he won't deliver Val to the legal system, citing that "suppose you're wrong? Suppose she dies (via execution for murder) and it was someone else? You'd be her murderer!"
3. The Cad seems to be doing alright- he's got a roof and plenty of food now. For those of us who'd read L-M- by V-H-.... we're wondering about a yellow passport. J-V- was denied lodging and food because he held one. So why would the Cad so easily settle down as a "retired baker" with a yellow, or no passport? He's not native to Paris.
4. The relationship between the Cad and Andrea is deteriorating. The Cad is getting greedy, and Andrea is losing patience. Andrea is no dummy. Is a doublecross coming up?