t　the　Memoirs　contained　nothing　that　would　compromise　me；　I　have　decided　to　go　on　with　them；　with　the　certainty　of　getting　some　profit　out　of　them　one　day　or　another。　There　are　plenty　of　novelists　at　Paris　who　have　no　imagination　and　can　only　put　true　stories　in　their　books；　who　would　be　glad　to　buy　a　little　book　of　incidents。　That　is　how　I　shall　avenge　myself　on　this　society　of　well…to…do　swindlers；　with　which　I　have　been　mixed　up　to　my　shame　and　misfortune。
  Besides；　I　must　occupy　my　leisure　time。　There　is　nothing　to　do　at　the　bank；　which　is　completely　deserted　since　the　judicial　inquiry　began；　except　to　arrange　the　bills　of　all　colours。　I　have　again　undertaken　the　writing　for　the　cook　on　the　second　floor；　Mlle。　Seraphine；　from　whom　I　accept　in　return　some　little　refreshment；　which　I　keep　in　the　strong…box；　once　more　become　a　provision　safe。　The　wife　of　the　governor　is　also　very　good　to　me；　and　stuffs　my　pockets　each　time　I　go　to　see　her　in　her　great　rooms　on　the　Chaussee　d'Antin。　There　nothing　has　changed；　the　same　luxury；　the　same　comfort；　also　a　three…months'…　old　babythe　seventhand　a　superb　nurse；　whose　Norman　cap　is　the　admiration　of　the　Bois　de　Boulogne。　It　seems　that　once　started　on　the　rails　of　fortune；　people　need　a　certain　time　to　slacken　their　speed　or　stop。　Besides；　this　thief　of　a　Paganetti　had；　in　case　of　accident；　settled　everything　on　his　wife。　Perhaps　that　is　why　this　rag…bag　of　an　Italian　woman　has　such　an　unshakable　admiration　for　him。　He　has　fled；　he　is　in　hiding；　but　she　remains　convinced　that　her　husband　is　a　little　Saint…John　of　innocence；　the　victim　of　his　goodness　and　credulity。　One　ought　to　hear　her。　〃You　know　him；　you　Moussiou　Passajon。　You　know　if　he　is　scrupulous。　But　as　true　as　there　is　a　God；　if　my　husband　had　committed　such　crimes　as　he　is　accused　of；　I　myself　you　hear　meI　myself　would　put　a　blunderbuss　in　his　hands；　and　would　say　to　him；　'Here；　Tchecco；　blow　out　your　brains！'　〃　and　by　the　way　in　which　she　opens　the　nostrils　of　her　little　turned…up　nose；　her　round　eyes；　black　as　jet；　one　feels　that　this　little　Corsican　would　have　acted　as　she　spoke。　He　must　be　very　clever；　this　infernal　governor；　to　deceive　even　his　wife；　to　act　a　part　even　at　home；　where　the　cleverest　let　themselves　be　seen　as　they　really　are。
  In　the　meantime　all　these　rogues　have　good　dinners；　even　Bois　l'Hery　has　his　meals　sent　in　to　the　prison　from　the　Cafe　Anglais；　and　poor　old　Passajon　is　reduced　to　live　on　scraps　picked　up　in　the　kitchen。　Still　we　must　not　grumble　too　much。　There　are　others　more　wretched　than　we　arewitness　M。　Francis；　who　came　in　this　morning　to　the　Territorial；　thin；　pale；　with　dirty　linen　and　frayed　cuffs；　which　he　still　pulled　down　by　force　of　habit。
  I　was　at　the　moment　grilling　some　bacon　before　the　fire　in　the　board…　room；　my　plate　laid　on　the　corner　of　a　marqueterie　table；　with　a　newspaper　underneath　to　preserve　it。　I　invited　Monpavon's　valet　to　share　my　frugal　meal；　but　since　he　has　waited　on　a　marquis　he　had　come　to　think　that　he　formed　part　of　the　nobility；　and　he　declined　with　a　dignified　air；　perfectly　ridiculous　with　his　hollow　cheeks。　He　began　by　telling　me　that　he　still　had　no　news　of　his　master；　that　they　had　sent　him　away　from　the　club；　all　the　papers　under　seal；　and　a　horde　of　creditors　like　locusts　on　the　marquis's　small　wardrobe。　〃So　that　I　am　a　little　short；〃　added　M。　Francis。　That　is　to　say；　that　he　had　not　the　worth　of　a　radish　in　his　pockets；　that　he　had　been　sleeping　for　two　days　on　the　benches　in　the　streets；　awakened　at　each　instant　by　the　police；　obliged　to　rise；　to　pretend　to　be　drunk　so　as　to　seek　another　shelter。　As　to　eating；　I　believe　he　had　not　done　so　for　a　long　time；　for　he　looked　at　the　food　with　such　hungry　eyes　as　to　wring　one's　heart；　and　when　I　insisted　on　putting　before　him　a　slice　of　bacon　and　a　glass　of　wine；　he　fell　on　it　like　a　wolf。　All　at　once　the　blood　came　back　to　his　cheeks　and；　still　eating；　he　began　to　chatter。
  〃You　know；　/pere/　Passajon；〃　said　he　to　me　between　two　mouthfuls；　〃I　know　where　he　is。　I　have　seen　him。〃
  He　winked　his　eye　knowingly。　I　looked　at　him　in　wonder。　〃Who　is　it　you　have　seen；　M。　Francis？〃
  〃The　marquis；　my　masterover　there　in　the　little　white　house　behind　Notre…Dame。〃　（He　did　not　use　the　word　morgue；　it　is　too　low。）　〃I　was　sure　I　should　find　him　there。　I　went　there　first　thing　next　morning。　There　he　was。　Oh；　well　disguised；　I　tell　you。　Only　his　valet　could　recognise　him。　The　hair　gray；　the　teeth　gone；　the　wrinkles　showing　his　sixty…five　years；　which　he　used　to　hide　so　well。　On　the　marble　slab；　with　the　tap　running　above；　I　seemed　to　see　him　at　his　dressing…　table。〃
  〃And　you　said　nothing？〃
  〃No。　I　knew　his　intentions　on　the　subject　for　long。　I　let　him　go　away　discreetly；　without　awakening　attention；　as　he　wished。　But；　all　the　same；　he　might　have　given　me　a　crust　of　bread　before　he　went；　after　a　service　of　twenty　years。〃
  And　on　a　sudden；　striking　the　table　with　his　fist　with　rage：
  〃When　I　think　that　if　I　had　liked　I　might　have　been　with　Mora；　instead　of　going　to　Monpavon；　that　I　might　have　had　Louis's　place。　What　luck　he　has　had！　How　many　bags　of　gold　he　laid　his　hands　on　when　his　duke　died！　And　the　wardrobehundreds　of　shirts；　a　dressing…gown　of　blue　fox　fur　worth　more　than　twenty　thousand　francs。　Like　Noel；　too；　he　must　have　made　his　pile！　He　had　to　hurry；　too；　for　he　knew　that　it　would　stop　soon。　Now　there　is　nothing　to　be　got　in　the　Place　Vendome。　An　old　policeman　of　a　mother　who　manages　everything。　Saint…Romans　is　to　be　sold；　the　pictures　are　to　be　sold；　half　the　house　to　be　let。　It　is　a　real　break…up。〃
  I　must　confess　that　I　could　not　help　showing　my　satisfaction；　for　this　wretched　Jansoulet　is　the　cause　of　all　our　misfortunes。　A　man　who　boasted　of　being　so　rich；　who　said　so　everywhere。　The　public　bit　at　it　like　a　fish　who　sees　the　scales　shine　through　the　net。　He　has　lost　millions；　I　admit；　but　why　did　he　make　us　believe　he　had　more？　They　have　arrested　Bois　l'Hery；　they　should　have　arrested　/him/。　Ah！　if　we　had　had　another　expert；　I　am　sure　it　would　have　been　done。　Besides；　as　I　said　to　Francis；　you　had　only　to　look　at　this　upstart　of　a　Jansoulet　to　see　what　he　was　worth。　What　a　headlike　a　bandit！
  〃And　so　common；〃　said　the　ex…valet。
  〃No　principles。〃
  〃An　absolute　want　of　form。　Well；　there　he　is　on　his　beam…ends；　and　then　Jenkins；　too；　and　plenty　of　others　with　them。〃
  〃What！　the　doctor　too？　Ah！　so　much　the　worse。　Such　a　polite　and　amiable　man。〃
  〃Yes；　still　another　breaking…up　of　his　establishment。　Horses；　carriages；　furniture。　The　yard　of　the　house　is　full　of　bills；　and　it　sounds　as　empty　as　if　some　one　were　dead。　The　place　at　Nanterre　is　on　sale。　There　were　half　a　dozen　of　the　'little　Bethlehems'　left　whom　they　packed　up　in　a　cab。　It　is　a　break…up；　I　tell　you；　/pere/　Passajon；　a　ruin　which　we；　old　as　we　are；　may　not　see　the　end　of；　but　it　will　be　complete。　Everything　is　rotten；　it　must　all　come　down！〃
  He　was　a　sinister　figure；　this　old　steward　of　the　Empire；　thin；　stubbly；　covered　with　mud；　and　shouting　like　a　Jeremiah；　〃It　is　the　downfall！〃　with　a　toothless　mouth；　black　and　wide　open。　I　felt　afraid　and　ashamed　of　him；　with　a　great　desire　to　see　him　outside；　and　I　thought：　〃Oh；　M。　Chalmette！　Oh；　my　little　vineyard　of　Montbars！〃
  /Same　date/。Great　news。　Mme。　Gaganetti　came　this　afternoon　to　bring　me　mysteriously　a　letter　from　the　governor。　He　is　in　London；　going　to　begin　a　magnificent　thing。　Fine　offices　in　the　best　part　of　the　town；　a　superb　list　of　shareholders。　He　offers　me　the　chance　of　joining　him；　〃happy　to　repair　thus　the　damage　he　has　caused　me；〃　says　he。　I　shall　have　twice　my　wages　at　the　Territorial；　be　lodged　comfortably；　five　shares　in　the　new　bank；　and　all　my　arrears　paid。　All　I　need　is　a　little　money　to　go　there　and　to　pay　a　few　small　debts　round　here。　Good　luck！　My　fortune　is　assured。　I　shall　write　to　the　notary　of　Montbars　to　mortgage　my　vineyard。
  AT　BORDIGHERA
  As　M。　Joyeuse　had　told　the　Juge　d'Instruction；　Paul　de　Gery　returned　from　Tunis　after　three　weeks'　absence。　Three　interminable　weeks　spent　in　struggling　among　intrigues；　and　traps　secretly　laid　by　the　powerful　hatred　of　the　Hemerlinguesin　wandering　from　hall　to　hall；　from　ministry　to　ministry　through　the　immense　palace　of　the　Bardo；　which　gathered　within　one　enclosure；　bristling　with　culverins；　all　the　departments　of　the　State；　as　much　under　the　master's　eye　as　his　stables　and　harem。　On　his　arrival；　Paul　had　learned　that　the　Chamber　of　Justice　was　preparing　secretly　Jansoulet's　triala　derisive　trial；　lost　beforehand；　and　the　closed　offices　of　the　Nabob　on　the　Marine　Quay；　the　seals　on　his　strong　boxes；　his　ships　moored　to　the　Goulette；　a　guard　round　his　palace；　seemed　to　speak　of　a　sort　of　civil　death；　of　a　disputed　succession　of　which　the　spoils　would　not　long　remain　to　be　shared。
  There　was　not　a　defender；　nor　a　friend；　in　this　voracious　crowd；　the　French　colony　itself　appeared　satisfied　with　the　fall　of　a　courtier　who　had　so　long　monopolized　the　roads　to　favour。　To　attempt　to　snatch　this　prey　from　the　Bey；　excepting　by　a　striking　triumph　at　the　Assembly；　was　not　to　be　thought　of。　All　that　de　Gery　could　hope　for　was　to　save　some　shreds　of　his　fortune；　and　this　only　if　he　hurried；　for　he　was　expecting　day