Mysteries of Paris, V3

h noisy joy, and whose denunciation was to be so fatal to Germain, was a man of middle

the lips, rendered this animal resemblance still more striking; he had on his head an otter-skin cap, and wore over his coat a blue cloak with a fur collar. He entered the hall, accompanied by a man of about thirty years of age, whose brown and sunburnt face seemed less degraded than those of the oth

olly bloke! So much the bet

ed you,

tayed away

urn to my friends. It is not my fau

come of his own accord to be caged; bu

k, for Pique-Vi

help us pass the time with his stories, and custome

o t

I do not know; but the other, who wore a blue cotton cap and a gray blouse, struck my eye. I

collect at Melun, I bet you, bef

more chances to be a second comer than

Americ

lways the sa

mmon; but yokels are also common; and if it had not bee

he lesson will

I will take my precau

ch, miserably dressed, with a low, cunning, and wicked express

ly; "they said every day, 'He will come.' Yo

s,

"is it for something a litt

ed, a superb affair; which, however, still remains to be done. Unfortunately, me and Frank

m on account of his beard. Is it you? I thought that at this present momen

but pardon for all sinners; it was good for once; now I belong t

, that is

s happened t

gh, as you say, to play honest. Their fate is so just! On c

s haying saved this money instead of spending it. You will see wh

aid, 'I am a released convict; I know no one likes to employ them, but here are 900 francs of

s no one but Frank c

' said he. 'I do not wish convicts in my shop; I work in houses, open the doors the keys of which are lost; my trade is a confidential one, and if

cert

aring your ticket at once, and coming to Paris to fritter away your savings, so as t

to whom I had first spoken had blabbed; when I addressed myself to the others, they told me the same as their fellow. Thank you; everywhere the same song. So you see, friends, where is the use

ou should have

elf. I placed 700 francs, which remained of my savings, with a broker, who gave me a note; when it fell due, he did not pay; I placed my note in the

d refused; he wished to become honest; I said to myself, 'I must do him good in spite of himself.' I wrote a letter, without a signature, to his master, another to his companions, to inform them that Frank was a rele

you who denounced me," said Frank, "

o Longjumeau to see my uncle; but I remained at P

f, 'Happily I have my money left.' I went to the attorney; he had cleared out-my money was gone-I was without a you. I had not enough to pay my week's rent. You ought to have seen my rage! Thereupon Big Cripple pretended

ing; it promised great things. Unfortunately, the moment we opened our mouths to swallow the morsel-

awyer had not robbed me, I should n

pointing out the provost, who had just

the call!" said Ske

eparately to the hall. The other prisoners remained in the yard; some of them, following the instructions of Barbillon, spoke in a loud, quarrelsome tone, to attract the notice of the keeper, and thus call his attention away from the hall, where were soon assembled Barbillon, Nicholas, Frank, Cardillac, Big

ermain, with blue eyes, brown ha

, whose features expressed at

know him

, I denounce him, he is a be

aid the priso

ked Frank. "Suppose you should be mistaken,

he Skeleton, who leaned towar

is

h whom I h

u sure

s not made of g

l keep my ey

Germain is a spy,

e," resumed the Skeleton,

ake use of him for an affair he had in view. He had two strings to his bow-a forgery, and robbery of the banker's strong box! perhaps a hundred thousand francs to gain by the two. All is ready; Velu counted on the yo

violent threats and

trayer, we mus

, I'll pick a quarrel

his face an order

an imperious tone. "Continue!" he said t

e luck to escape. He arrived in Paris, furious at having been betrayed by Germain, and foiled in a tip-top job. One fine day he met the nice young man; it was broad day; he did not dare to touch him; but he followed him, he saw wh

dvance; my grave is already dug at Clamart; I risk nothing in working for the leary coves: the spies devour us more than the police; they place the turncoats of La Force at La Roquette, and those of La Roquette at the Con

hat a new prisoner had entered the hall. This newcomer, clothed in a gray blouse, and wearing a cap of blue cotton embroidered with red wool, pulled well over his eyes

s a mad-cap

learne

mself could n

e's a

it would be they who would judge

just: every o

won't agree upo

service to the family by killing th

is cer

e of being cut down, it costs

to kill this young

in an angry tone; "one has n

much the worse for him," said Fr

ed the suspicions which Frank for a moment had raised

we do with

to-Death," said N

engage his attent

ll hold hi

es

N

cried Skeleton. The mos

no means to do the job while the keeper is in the ward, or the court. I

at is to

ace. We will give some sous to Pique-Vinaigre to make him commence his story. It will be the dinner hour. The keeper, seeing us quietly occupied in listening to the nonsense, will have no suspicions; he will go and take a pull at th

time. If he should enter the hall to listen to Pique-Vinaigre, and should see

ue," said t

Frank, the victim of Bou

at is h

," said

, doubling his fists; "it i

f?" asked t

nd twenty francs whic

has seen you?" a

him, to my sorrow. But fo

k, who answered some questions of his comrades; then leaning over toward Cripple, whispe

s still a little timid about crime, and he might be capa

loud tone, "I say, Frank, won't you have

him come, his acc

oming, g

dy; he will b

ff to his ell, and Frank to the dungeon," whispered

n he resumed aloud, "Shall Pique-Vinaigre be informed that by the assis

s too great a coward; if he knew it he would not tell his story

in are going to enter the court. Attention, friends! you call m