Monsieur Lecoq, v.1

almost beardless, very pale, with red lips, and an abundance of wavy black hair. He was rather short but well proportioned; and each of his movements betrayed unusual energy. There was nothing rema

to nothing; for the university, on bestowing its diploma of bachelor, does not give an annuity with it. Hence of what use is a college education to a poor orphan boy? He envied the lot of those who, with a trade at the ends of their fingers, could boldly enter the office of any manufacturer, and say: "I would like to work." Such men were working and eating. Lecoq sought bread by all the methods employed by people who are in reduced circumstances! Fruitless labor!

age and disappointment when he recapitulated his blighted hopes, his fruitless efforts, and the insults he had endured. The past had been sad, the present was in

ngaged in devising the worst expedients. In short, this naturally moral and honest young man spent much of his time in perpetrating-in fancy-the most abominable crimes. Sometimes he himself was frightened by the work of his imagination: for an hou

ble him to obtain five or six hundred francs from London. Two letters and a telegram were all that was n

ent for him to retain so ingenious a secretary in his service. This was why, on the following day, he gave him a month's pay in advance,

red that mysterious power whose hand is everywhere, and which, although unseen and unheard, still manages to hear and see everything. He was delighted with the prospect of being the instrument of such a power. He cons

the service. A cruel disenchantment awaited him. He had seen the results, but not the means. His surprise was like that of a simple-minded frequenter of th

ight of his ambition a pathway to success. It was at first only a presentiment, but it soon became a supposition, and then a conviction based upon actual facts, which had escaped his companions, but which he had observed and carefully noted. He recognized that fortune had, at l

es, since you will see nothing beneath them! But I will prove to

usation of ambition or of unduly taking advantage of his comrade. Such charges might prove most dangerous for his future prospects in a profession where so much rivalry is seen, and where wounded vanity has so many opportunities to aven

fference that he requested one of his comrades to remain with him. Then, while the others were making ready to depart, he seated himself upon the corner of the table, apparently oblivious of a

that were taken to prevent his escape, it required some time to bind the hands of the Widow Chupin, w

dinate. The latter made no reply. He followed his comrades as far as the threshold to make sure that they were really going,

e night. It was only then that Lecoq reentered the room. He could no longer conceal his delight; his eyes sparkled as might those of a conqueror

ligent of the party to keep him company. He was not influenced by a fear of being obliged to share the fruits of success wi

ed an entire prison with the culprits he had arrested with his own hands. Experience had not, however, made him any the shrewder or any the more zealous. Still he had this merit, when he received an order he executed it with military

ween two fits of intoxication, without ever rising above a condition of semi-lucidity. His comrades had known, but had f

n's voice. "Upon my word," he remarked, when they were alone, "your idea of keeping me here was a good one, an

shuddering, so to speak, with crime, and yet face to face with t

it infallibly lead to professional indifference, making the soldier cool and composed in the midst of confl

sued Father Absinthe; "I saw a bed up ther

o sleep, but to collect information-to make the most careful researches, and to note all the probabilities. In a few hours t

t?" he exclaimed. "I know the General. When he goes in search of the commissary, as he has gone th

licitly in what seems to him evidence. I could swear that this affair is not what it seems to be; and

who with a yawn that threatened to dislocate his jaws replied: "Perhaps you are right; but I am going to

opportunity for which he was longing. "You will give me a moment first," he remarked. "In five m

on for fiv

clear that if I unravel the mystery alone, I alone ought

sion of an infinite number of bottles of the greenish liquor whose name he bore. "Convi

begin with," he remarked, "whom do you supp

robably, or

the lowest class of society: conse

tain

as is usual with persons of real merit, but he felt that if he could succeed in making his

if I showed you that this young man had rec

inary. I should reply that-but what a foo

. Do you remember the words

ectly. He said: 'It is the

suppose he me

did not like the Prussians, and that he sup

g, quite wrong. And that this man has an education superior to his apparent position is proved by the fact

ied that he knows not whether to laugh, or to be angry. After reflecting a little, he decided to adopt the latt

rtainly heard of a terrible battle which resulted in one of the gr

see the c

if you

I have he

lish began to fall back, and the emperor had already exclaimed: 'We have them!' when suddenly on the right, a littl

his case his perseverance was not wholly useless, for, springing from his stool, and probably in much the s

f the Prussians, it was because he was momentarily expecting the arrival of one of his own generals from the same direction-Grouchy-with thirty-

ore, now opened to their widest extent. "Good heavens!" he murmured, "if you put it in tha

thing save the struggle between the murderer and the poor devil dress

ous!" exclaimed the

k myself why this man, instead of flying at once, should have

?" he interrupted; "because he had accomplices, and he wishe

said to myself," he replied, "and now it is easy to ve

l garden. In this sheltered enclosure the snow had not melted, and upon its white surface the dark stains of numerous footprints presented themselves. Without hesitation, L