Mysteries of Paris, V3

s middling stature rendered still more remarkable by his enormous corpulency. This prisoner, so rosy and stout, was wrapped up in a long, warm coat of gray swan's

er of fine gold seals and rings. Finally, several rings, enriched with precious stones, sparkled

HE REQUEST FOR A

quite as fat, and attired after his patron, whose magnificence he admired. Having, like him, a partiality for jewels, he wore on

ng at the roll-call," said Boulard, joyously, in a faint, cracked vo

that Bourdin, with a pleasantry at once familiar and respectful, called the bailiff, under whose order

rtunate," said Boulard, with cordial gayety; "yet I began to be u

y. You recollect well the handsom

nt R

ow how he laughe

quite in

and I were quite stupefied a

ssible, bra

is the fact; this handsome v

become a

eat he has bec

! a

employed this sneak of a Morel, the lapidary whom we went to nab in the Rue du Temple, when a tall slim jockey, wi

it was very funny. The best of the farce was that the portress

which burst like a bomb at

to your charge. But th

ice, one of my friends, knowing that I had for a long time tracked this lord, asked me if I could not put him on the scent. I learned too late, at the time of our las

rest. He had once been concealed there; he might well enough be concealed there a second time. That is what I said to my friend in the police.

the vis

erward introduced ourselves there, we returned as wise as we went; and this is t

as an impossibility on y

oper, tell me, how the

housand francs, of which they pretend I have despoiled them, have carried a compla

this is a misfortune! How-sh

good Bourdin; here I

s, then, s

ute. I did prosecute; I was paid, and I pocketed the money; and because, in consequence of speculations which did not succeed, I have spent this money, as well as that of many o

at don't hurt

ney, being his sole resource for rainy days, and that these days had now arrived (I do not know

arming, o

fellow is capable of giving that as an excuse

cused of an abuse of confid

take me for a thi

nothing serious in all this; after al

airing look, m

you are condemned, you will only have two or three months'

owed, I am sure, to pass at my ease in a luna

your affai

all never see a sou of the money they claim. They force me to sell my commission-all the same. I am aware of the

ffect on me, general; so

beg you to come here; it is touching a delicate mission

I recognize you there!

g, as Alexandrine-she is called Alexandrine-has sent for some money. I have never been stingy with the fair sex; but I do not wish to be made a fool of. Thus, before playing the generous with this dear friend, I wish to know if she deserves it by her fidelity. I know ther

e confidence in me; I shall find out if Lady Alexandrine sticks a penknife in the contract, which appears to me

nt, my dear comrade, and it is a great wrong

w it, I will a

de, how can I expr

me, now,

, that in this affair your fees sh

lowed me to grind the debtors to the quick, treble the fees of arrest, costs, which you hav

that is different; in m

you do not allow me to offer you thi

Besides, your devotion will be a sweet recompense for the f

y other way? you must be horribly situated here, you, who like to

in my cell; I am not very badly off; I have a stove; I sent for a good arm-chair; I make three long repasts; I

rmand, general! the resources

have an open account with him, and every day he sends me a nice little basket; and while on this su

-rogue of

and neighbor. Pray dear Mrs. Michonneau to put into my basket to-morrow some pickled f

llent

st like the last-she knows what that means! and let her add two bottles o

randy, so as not to forget it," said Bou

, have the goodness to note down to ask

I feel now a little more assured as to your good living. Bu

y, I mix with the dregs. I assure you that, at the bottom, they appear to be very good fellows; some of them are very amusing. The most abandoned ass

singul

hal of his ward; he is by far the greatest villain of them all. He comes from the galleys, and he has again robbed and murdered; but

a ru

t once in his good graces, by giving him some cigars; he has take

od lark! my genera

familiar as relations. I am not proud, like a little gentleman, Germain, a barefoot, w

n so much at home as you are, to talk with, i

to respond to his advances. He is the butt of the prison. They will play him, sooner or later, a ba

e very

obbers have not a great opinion of me, mentally. You comprehend-my accusation of a simple abuse of con

of these matadores

ince you are so obliging, d

uneasy, m

per of wine; 3d the old 1817 Cognac, the g

ave all. Any

o you know where

roker?

isposition to find me a lawyer who is prepared for

your commissions shall be executed, and to-morrow you will rec

, t

on one side, and the

h have pushed them on to crime. Compare, finally, the punishment that awaits them. Coming out of prison, inspiring everywhere fear and indifference, the liberated convict could not

is arrested, is a prisoner. He will be tried, condemned. For a second crime, fifteen or twenty years of hard labor and the pillory is what awaits him. He knows it. This formidable punishment he deserves. Property is sacred. He who, at night, breaks open your doors to take your goods ought to undergo a severe penalty. In vain shall the culpable

l, not at night, at the peril of his life, but tranquilly, quite at his ease, in the sight of all? Will steal, not from an unknown who has placed his money under the safeguard of a lock, but from a client, who has placed from necessity his money under the safeguard of the public officer, whom the law points out-imposes on his confidence? What terrible punishment will be deserve, then, who, instead of stealing a s

For the liberated prisoner: twenty years hard labor, and the pil

r had called for Germain. When Boulard re-entered the prison, the door opened, Germain ente