d changed. His eyes shone with the fire of his
enthusiasm, his voice was metallic and vibrating, his imperious
gesture affirmed the audacity and energy of his resolution.

"If you think, my friends," pursued he, "that they don't manufacture
detectives like me at so much a year, you are right. When I was
twenty years old, I took service with an astronomer, as his
calculator, after a long course of study. He gave me my breakfasts
and seventy francs a month; by means of which I dressed well, and
covered I know not how many square feet with figures daily."

M. Lecoq puffed vigorously at his cigar a moment, casting a curious
glance at M. Plantat. Then he resumed:

"Well, you may imagine that I wasn't the happiest of men. I forgot
to mention that I had two little vices: I loved the women, and I
loved play. All are not perfect. My salary seemed too small, and
while I added up my columns of figures, I was looking about for a
way to make a rapid fortune. There is, indeed, but one means; to
appropriate somebody else's money, shrewdly enough not to be found
out. I thought about it day and night. My mind was fertile in
expedients, and I formed a hundred projects, each more practicable
than the others. I should frighten you if I were to tell you half
of what I imagined in those days. If many thieves of my calibre
existed, you'd have to blot the word 'property' out of the dictionary.
Precautions, as well as safes, would be useless. Happily for men
of property, criminals are idiots."

"What is he coming to?" thought the doctor.

"One day, I became afraid of my own thoughts. I had just been
inventing a little arrangement by which a man could rob any banker
whatever of 200,000 francs without any more danger or difficulty
than I raise this cup. So I said to myself, 'Well, my boy, if this
goes on a little longer, a moment will come when, from the idea,
you will naturally proceed to the practice.' Having, however, been
born an honest lad--a mere chance--and being determined to use
the talents which nature had given me, eight days afterward I bid
my astronomer good-morning, and went to the prefecture. My fear
of being a burglar drove me into the police."

"And you are satisfied with the exchange?" asked Dr. Gendron.

"I' faith, Doctor, my first regret is yet to come. I am happy,
because I am free to exercise my peculiar faculties with
usefulness to my race. Existence has an enormous attraction for
me, because I have still a passion