 The Duc de Praslin is in a privileged position; as a peer his case can only be heard by other nobles.He refuses to confess his guilt or openly to admit his love for Henriette Deluzy-Desportes, knowing that his fellow nobles wish to use such an admission to blame her for the murder by declaring that he was acting at her bidding.Ultimately the Duc takes poison to prevent himself from ever publicly proclaiming his love for Henriette, since he knows that would convict her; however, he lives long enough to reveal it to another of his servants, Pierre, a kindly old man who had warned the governess to leave the de Praslin household.