ople are at."

"They have been working at the pavilion three days running."

"And one evening they brought furniture covered up with a carpet."

"Perhaps he feels remorse for having put Germain into prison?"

"Talking of Germain, he will have some fine recruits in his prison, poor
fellow! For I read in the _Gazette des Tribunaux_ that the band of
robbers and assassins, whom they seized in the Champs Elysees, in one of
the small underground public-houses, had been locked up in La Force."

"Poor Germain! What society for him!"

"Louise Morel, too, will have her share of the recruits; for in this
gang, they say, there is a whole family of thieves."

"Then they will send the women to St. Lazare, where Louise is?"

"Perhaps it was some of that gang who stabbed the countess, one of the
governor's clients. He has often sent me to inquire after the state of
this countess, and seems much interested in her recovery."

"Did they let you enter the house and see the spot where the
assassination was committed?"

"Oh, no! I could not go farther than the entrance; and the porter was
not at all a person inclined to talk."

"Gents, gents, take your places; here's the gov'nor coming up!" shouted
Hop-the-Gutter, coming into the office with the carcass still in his
hand.

The young men instantly took their seats at their respective desks, over
which they bent, handling their pens with great dexterity; whilst
Hop-the-Gutter deposited his turkey's skeleton in a box filled with law
papers.

Jacques Ferrand entered the room. His red hair, mingled with gray,
escaping from beneath an old black silk cap, fell in disorder down each
side of his temples. Some of the veins which marbled his head appeared
injected with blood, whilst his face, his flat nose, his furrowed
cheeks, were all of ghastly paleness. The expression of his look,
concealed by his large green spectacles, could not be seen; but the
great alteration in the man's features announced the ravages of a
consuming passion.

He crossed the office slowly, without saying a word to one of the
clerks, or without even appearing to notice that they were there; then
went into the room in which the chief clerk was employed, traversed it
as well as his own cabinet, and again instantly descended the small
staircase which led to the courtyard.

Jacques Ferrand having left all the doors open behind him, the clerks
had a right to be astonished at the strange demeanour of their employer,