governor Fonsegue, who's so attentive to Silviane yonder, complains of
it? And doesn't Sagnier, who's spreading himself out behind the presiding
judge, and whose proper place would be between the four
gendarmes--doesn't he owe a debt to Salvat for all the abominable
advertisements he has been able to give his paper by using the wretched
fellow's back as a big drum? And I need not mention the politicians or
the financiers or all those who fish in troubled waters."

"But I say," interrupted Duthil, "it seems to me that you yourself made
good use of the affair. Your interview with the little girl Celine
brought you in a pot of money."

Massot, as it happened, had been struck with the idea of ferreting out
Madame Theodore and the child, and of relating his visit to them in the
"Globe," with an abundance of curious and touching particulars. The
article had met with prodigious success, Celine's pretty answers
respecting her imprisoned father having such an effect on ladies with
sensitive hearts that they had driven to Montmartre in their carriages in
order to see the two poor creatures. Thus alms had come to them from all
sides; and strangely enough the very people who demanded the father's
head were the most eager to sympathise with the child.

"Well, I don't complain of my little profits," said the journalist in
answer to Duthil. "We all earn what we can, you know."

At this moment Rosemonde, while glancing round her, recognised Guillaume
and Pierre, but she was so amazed to see the latter in ordinary civilian
garb that she did not dare to speak to him. Leaning forward she
acquainted Duthil and Massot with her surprise, and they both turned
round to look. From motives of discretion, however, they pretended that
they did not recognise the Froments.

The heat in court was now becoming quite unbearable, and one lady had
already fainted. At last the presiding judge again raised his lisping
voice, and managed to restore silence. Salvat, who had remained standing,
now held a few sheets of paper, and with some difficulty he made the
judge understand that he desired to complete his interrogatory by reading
a declaration, which he had drawn up in prison, and in which he explained
his reasons for his crime. For a moment M. de Larombiere hesitated, all
surprise and indignation at such a request; but he was aware that he
could not legally impose silence on the prisoner, and so he signified his
consent with a gesture of mingled ir