# XXII: The Catastrophe explained — File No. 113 > Chapter companion for File No. 113 by Émile Gaboriau. ## What happens M. Verduret reveals to Prosper the full extent of his investigation into the robbery, tracing the crime back to events twenty years prior involving Gaston de Clameran. He explains his methods of gathering evidence through surveillance, interviews, and purchased information. Prosper confesses to having written an anonymous letter to M. Fauvel about his wife and Raoul, which Verduret condemns as a foolish act that may ruin their plans. Verduret details his travels to Beaucaire, Clameran, and Oloron, and how he pieced together the conspiracy. ## Themes in this chapter ### Investigation and Detection Verduret details his systematic investigation, including travel, interviews, and surveillance, to unravel the crime. ### Secrecy and the Past The chapter reveals how past events from twenty years ago—Gaston's love affair and flight—are directly linked to the present robbery. ### Deception and Appearance Verduret describes how criminals cloak themselves with public position, and Prosper's anonymous letter is an act of deception that backfires. ## Character check-ins ### Prosper Bertomy Listens to Verduret's full report; admits to writing an anonymous letter to M. Fauvel, jeopardizing the investigation. ### M. Verduret Reveals his extensive investigation, including travels to Beaucaire, Clameran, and Oloron; expresses anger at Prosper's anonymous letter. ### Gaston de Clameran His past love affair and flight are central to the backstory Verduret uncovers. ### Marquis de Clameran Mentioned as the prime mover in the robbery; his reaction to Gaston's name gave Verduret a clue. ### Raoul de Lagors Identified by Verduret as the young workman seen at Oloron; involved in the conspiracy. ### Nina Gypsy Assigned by Verduret to watch Mme. Fauvel and her niece; reported conversations. ### Joseph Dubois Copied letters between Clameran and Raoul and forwarded them to Verduret. ### André Fauvel Recipient of Prosper's anonymous letter; mentioned as having received it in his morning mail. ## Key lines > All things are linked together and dependent upon each other in this world of ours. If Gaston de Clameran had not entered a little café at Tarascon to play a game of billiards twenty years ago, your money-safe would not have been robbed three weeks ago. Everything is connected; a seemingly trivial event from twenty years ago led directly to the recent robbery. _Verduret explains the chain of causation to Prosper._ > It is at the family fireside, often under shelter of the law itself, that the real tragedies of life are acted; in modern crimes the traitors wear gloves, and cloak themselves with public position; the victims die, smiling to the last, without revealing the torture they have endured to the end. The most profound tragedies occur within families, hidden behind respectability, where criminals use their social standing as a shield. _Verduret contrasts public crime reports with hidden domestic crimes._ > When a man of ordinary intelligence concentrates his thoughts and energies upon the attainment of an object, he is certain to obtain ultimate success. Focused effort guarantees success, even for an average person. _Verduret shares his philosophy of investigation._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/file_no_113_se/chapters/xxii-the-catastrophe - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/file_no_113_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/file_no_113_se/chapters