ession
was an admirable indication of the time-serving eloquence to be expected
of him. Chesnel's successor had discovered the young Count's hiding
place to him, and he took great credit to himself for his penetration.

The news seemed to come as a shock to the examining magistrate,
M. Camusot, who had granted the warrant of arrest on Sauvager's
application, with no idea that it was to be executed so promptly.
Camusot was short, fair, and fat already, though he was only thirty
years old or thereabouts; he had the flabby, livid look peculiar to
officials who live shut up in their private study or in a court of
justice; and his little, pale, yellow eyes were full of the suspicion
which is often mistaken for shrewdness.

Mme. Camusot looked at her spouse, as who should say, "Was I not right?"

"Then the case will come on," was Camusot's comment.

"Could you doubt it?" asked du Coudrai. "Now they have got the Count,
all is over."

"There is the jury," said Camusot. "In this case M. le Prefet is sure
to take care that after the challenges from the prosecution and the
defence, the jury to a man will be for an acquittal.--My advice would be
to come to a compromise," he added, turning to du Croisier.

"Compromise!" echoed the President; "why, he is in the hands of
justice."

"Acquitted or convicted, the Comte d'Esgrignon will be dishonored all
the same," put in Sauvager.

"I am bringing an action,"[*] said du Croisier. "I shall have Dupin
senior. We shall see how the d'Esgrignon family will escape out of his
clutches."

[*] A trial for an offence of this kind in France is an
action brought by a private person (partie civile) to
recover damages, and at the same time a criminal prosecution
conducted on behalf of the Government.--Tr.

"The d'Esgrignons will defend the case and have counsel from Paris; they
will have Berryer," said Mme. Camusot. "You will have a Roland for your
Oliver."

Du Croisier, M. Sauvager, and the President du Ronceret looked at
Camusot, and one thought troubled their minds. The lady's tone, the way
in which she flung her proverb in the faces of the eight conspirators
against the house of d'Esgrignon, caused them inward perturbation,
which they dissembled as provincials can dissemble, by dint of lifelong
practice in the shifts of a monastic existence. Little Mme. Camusot saw
their change of countenance and subsequent composure when they scented
opposition on the part of the