of it again. Police! Help, help!"

"If only Marie were here!" groaned Jean. "M. Plon, I implore you to have
pity! wait until my wife arrives; you will believe her if you can't
believe your own eyes. Lock me into the room, do whatever you like--only
wait!"

If M. Plon had indeed had sufficient calmness to contemplate the figure
before him, it is probable that in spite of alteration he would have
found something to recognise. But he was in a state of perturbed
excitement which altogether confused his judgment, and only inclined him
to refuse all his prisoner's suggestions. He therefore set himself more
vigorously than ever to bawl for help, and Perine seconded him with all
her might. The next moment Jean went back to the table, seated himself
upon it and crossed his arms. He had recognised Marie's step.

She came into the room pale as death, and even as she came, hesitated,
and held up her hand, as if she would have prevented a man who was with
her from following. But seeing that she was too late, and that Jean was
already discovered, she rushed into his arms, crying out:

"What has happened?"

M. Plon took up the parable, quite regardless of her action.

"What has happened, Madame Didier? There is no saying what might not
have happened if I had not been on the spot. Here is a rascally,
black-guardly, good-for-nothing!" and as he uttered these bold
invectives, he advanced and shook his fist in Jean's face. "You see him,
_M. le Commissaire_, you behold what a villain, what a desperate villain
he looks? Listen, then, I hear screams, I meet this poor imbecile flying
out in terror, I rush--I seize--I overpower--I make him my prisoner--"

At this point the police officer interposed a question:

"You used force, M. Plon?"

"I used--but certainly--moral force. He had made his way into this room
through the window, Monsieur--Monsieur--?"

"Leblanc, at your service," said the commissioner carelessly. "Did you
say through the window? That seems scarcely probable."

But Plon was positive there was no other way by which he could have
entered unseen by him. And now he would give _M. le Commissaire_ a dozen
guesses to find out what this rascal had the villainy to pretend. To
look at him, would any one suppose now that he could be the husband of
madame?

"Apparently," said the other, glancing at them, "Madame herself is not
averse from that opinion."

"Her husband--hee, hee!" said M. Plon, getting red. "Poor Jean, who w