honors. Mange required no introduction.
Everybody appeared to know him. Beurre-Sans-Sel put forth brandy and
glasses, and the health of Monsieur Fouquier was drunk enthusiastically.
When this ceremony ended Morcerf called for cigarettes and distributed
them among the coterie; then he had leisure to examine Bouche-de-Miel;
the latter had turned his back to the counter and leaned his elbows upon
it; in this position, with his cigarette between his teeth, he looked
the perfect picture of vagabondish idleness. Mange was still watching
Morcerf, but saw no sign that he had recognized in Bouche-de-Miel the
man for whom he was seeking. This made him uneasy, for it was an
indication that the reward his employer had promised him would not be
earned.

Presently Waldmann and Siebecker were called to another part of the
room. Bouche-de-Miel remained, continuing to smoke his cigarette, with
his elbows on the counter where he had placed them after the
health-drinking. The Captain's thoughts were of a conflicting nature.
Everything pointed to the fact that the man before him was his
father-in-law, but, unlike Mlle. d' Armilly, he saw nothing in him
suggestive of the Baron Danglars of other days. Could this vagabond,
this wretch, be Danglars? If so, how was it to be proved to his
satisfaction? How, above all, in this place, in this den of thieves and
cutthroats? The man was certainly the party Eugenie had recognized on
the night of the attempted burglary as her father, the party
Monte-Cristo himself had so positively pronounced to be the former
banker. But was it not probable that his wife and the Count had been
mistaken? Was it not probable that they had been deceived by some
fancied resemblance when excitement had possessed them to such a degree
that it had deprived them of the full use of their mental faculties? At
any rate he had come to the caboulot to experiment with Bouche-de-Miel
and he would not shrink from cautiously applying the test.

Their cigarettes were now consumed. Albert, in pursuance of his scheme,
invited Bouche-de-Miel and Mange to take seats at a table and have some
more brandy. They accepted the invitation with alacrity, and the three
were soon drinking and chatting. Repeated potations finally opened
Bouche-de-Miel's lips; he began to be confidential.

"You may not believe me, messieurs," said he, "but I was not always as
you see me now!"

Mange winked triumphantly at his employer. Revelations which might be