e to explanations later,"
said Joseph, who had recovered his self-possession.

"Give way, friends!" said the lieutenant to the crowd; "_He_ is
arrested, and we are taking him to the Palais."

"Respect the law, friends!" said Monsieur Mouilleron.

"Wouldn't you prefer to see him guillotined?" said one of the gendarmes
to an angry group.

"Yes, yes, they shall guillotine him!" shouted one madman.

"They are going to guillotine him!" cried the women.

By the time they reached the end of the Grande-Narette the crowd were
shouting: "They are taking him to the guillotine!" "They found the knife
upon him!" "That's what Parisians are!" "He carries crime on his face!"

Though all Joseph's blood had flown to his head, he walked the distance
from the place Saint-Jean to the Palais with remarkable calmness and
self-possession. Nevertheless, he was very glad to find himself in the
private office of Monsieur Lousteau-Prangin.

"I need hardly tell you, gentlemen, that I am innocent," said Joseph,
addressing Monsieur Mouilleron, Monsieur Lousteau-Prangin, and the
clerk. "I can only beg you to assist me in proving my innocence. I know
nothing of this affair."

When the judge had stated all the suspicious facts which were against
him, ending with Max's declaration, Joseph was astounded.

"But," said he, "it was past five o'clock when I left the house. I went
up the Grande rue, and at half-past five I was standing looking up at
the facade of the parish church of Saint-Cyr. I talked there with the
sexton, who came to ring the angelus, and asked him for information
about the building, which seems to me fantastic and incomplete. Then
I passed through the vegetable-market, where some women had already
assembled. From there, crossing the place Misere, I went as far as the
mill of Landrole by the Pont aux Anes, where I watched the ducks for
five or six minutes, and the miller's men must have noticed me. I saw
the women going to wash; they are probably still there. They made a
little fun of me, and declared that I was not handsome; I told them it
was not all gold that glittered. From there, I followed the long avenue
to Tivoli, where I talked with the gardener. Pray have these facts
verified; and do not even arrest me, for I give you my word of honor
that I will stay quietly in this office till you are convinced of my
innocence."

These sensible words, said without the least hesitation, and with the
ease of a man who is perfectly su