you ever steal yourself?' asked Casimir, turning suddenly on Jean-
Marie, and for the first time employing a single eyeglass which hung
round his neck.

'Yes, sir,' replied the boy, with a deep blush.

Casimir turned to the others with pursed lips, and nodded to them
meaningly. 'Hey?' said he; 'how is that?'

'Jean-Marie is a teller of the truth,' returned the Doctor, throwing out
his bust.

'He has never told a lie,' added madame. 'He is the best of boys.'

'Never told a lie, has he not?' reflected Casimir. 'Strange, very
strange. Give me your attention, my young friend,' he continued. 'You
knew about this treasure?'

'He helped to bring it home,' interposed the Doctor.

'Desprez, I ask you nothing but to hold your tongue,' returned Casimir.
'I mean to question this stable-boy of yours; and if you are so certain
of his innocence, you can afford to let him answer for himself. Now,
sir,' he resumed, pointing his eyeglass straight at Jean-Marie. 'You
knew it could be stolen with impunity? You knew you could not be
prosecuted? Come! Did you, or did you not?'

'I did,' answered Jean-Marie, in a miserable whisper. He sat there
changing colour like a revolving pharos, twisting his fingers
hysterically, swallowing air, the picture of guilt.

'You knew where it was put?' resumed the inquisitor.

'Yes,' from Jean-Marie.

'You say you have been a thief before,' continued Casimir. 'Now how am I
to know that you are not one still? I suppose you could climb the green
gate?'

'Yes,' still lower, from the culprit.

'Well, then, it was you who stole these things. You know it, and you
dare not deny it. Look me in the face! Raise your sneak's eyes, and
answer!'

But in place of anything of that sort Jean-Marie broke into a dismal howl
and fled from the arbour. Anastasie, as she pursued to capture and
reassure the victim, found time to send one Parthian arrow--'Casimir, you
are a brute!'

'My brother,' said Desprez, with the greatest dignity, 'you take upon
yourself a licence--'

'Desprez,' interrupted Casimir, 'for Heaven's sake be a man of the world.
You telegraph me to leave my business and come down here on yours. I
come, I ask the business, you say "Find me this thief!" Well, I find
him; I say "There he is!" You need not like it, but you have no manner
of right to take offence.'

'Well,' returned the Doctor, 'I grant that; I will even thank you for
your mistaken zeal. But your hypothesis w