reover, you were foolish to wear such small boots, and
to keep on your lavender kid gloves, besides embarrassing yourself with
a silk hat and an umbrella. Now confess your guilt, for it is the only
thing left you to do, and I will give you permission to smoke in your
dungeon some of those excellent trabucos you are so fond of, and which
you always smoke with an amber mouthpiece.'"

During this speech, M. Tabaret had gained at least a couple of inches in
height, so great was his enthusiasm. He looked at the magistrate, as if
expecting a smile of approbation.

"Yes," continued he, after taking breath, "I would say that, and nothing
else; and, unless this man is a hundred times stronger than I suppose
him to be, unless he is made of bronze, of marble, or of steel, he would
fall at my feet and avow his guilt."

"But supposing he were of bronze," said M. Daburon, "and did not fall at
your feet, what would you do next?"

The question evidently embarrassed the old fellow.

"Pshaw!" stammered he; "I don't know; I would see; I would search; but
he would confess."

After a prolonged silence, M. Daburon took a pen, and hurriedly wrote a
few lines.

"I surrender," said he. "M. Albert de Commarin shall be arrested;
that is settled. The different formalities to be gone through and
the perquisitions will occupy some time, which I wish to employ in
interrogating the Count de Commarin, the young man's father, and your
friend M. Noel Gerdy, the young advocate. The letters he possesses are
indispensable to me."

At the name of Gerdy, M. Tabaret's face assumed a most comical
expression of uneasiness.

"Confound it," cried he, "the very thing I most dreaded."

"What?" asked M. Daburon.

"The necessity for the examination of those letters. Noel will discover
my interference. He will despise me: he will fly from me, when he knows
that Tabaret and Tirauclair sleep in the same nightcap. Before eight
days are past, my oldest friends will refuse to shake hands with me, as
if it were not an honour to serve justice. I shall be obliged to change
my residence, and assume a false name."

He almost wept, so great was his annoyance. M. Daburon was touched.

"Reassure yourself, my dear M. Tabaret," said he. "I will manage that
your adopted son, your Benjamin, shall know nothing. I will lead him to
believe I have reached him by means of the widow's papers."

The old fellow seized the magistrate's hand in a transport of gratitude,
and car