er himself; but as soon as he saw the door open, he rose
instinctively, took a pen, dipped it in the ink, took a handful of
parchment labels, and went toward the remaining books, took the first
which came to hand, and continued his classification, murmuring between
his teeth, as was his habit under similar circumstances.

"The 'Breviary of Lovers,' printed at Liege in 1712; no printer's name.
Ah, mon Dieu! what amusement can Christians possibly find in reading
such books? It would be better if they were all burned in the Place de
Greve by the hand of the public hangman! Chut! What name have I been
pronouncing there! I wonder who this Prince de Listhnay, who has made me
copy such things, is; and the young man who, under pretense of doing me
a service, introduced me to such a scoundrel. Come, come, this is not
the place to think about that. How pleasant it is writing on parchment;
the pen glides as if over silk. What is the next?"

"Well, monsieur," said the head clerk, "and what have you been doing for
the last five minutes, with your arms crossed and your eyes fixed?"

"Nothing, M. Ducoudray, nothing. I was planning a new mode of
classification."

"A new mode of classification! Are you turned reformer? Do you wish to
commence a revolution, M. Buvat?"

"I! a revolution!" cried Buvat, with terror. "A revolution,
monsieur!--never, oh, never! Good heavens, my devotion to monseigneur
the regent is known; a disinterested devotion, since he has not paid me
for five years, as you know."

"Well, go on with your work."

Buvat continued:--"'Conspiracy of Monsieur de Cinq Mars'--diable!
diable! I have heard of that. He was a gallant gentleman, who was in
correspondence with Spain; that cursed Spain. What business has it to
mix itself up eternally with our affairs? It is true that this time it
is said that Spain will only be an auxiliary; but an ally who takes
possession of our towns, and who debauches our soldiers, appears to me
very much like an enemy. 'Conspiracy of Monsieur de Cinq-Mars, followed
by a History of his Death, and that of Monsieur de Thou, condemned for
not revealing it. By an Eye-Witness.' For not revealing! It is true, no
doubt, for the law is positive. Whoever does not reveal is an
accomplice--myself, for instance. I am the accomplice of the Prince de
Listhnay; and if they cut off his head, they will cut off mine too. No,
they will only hang me--I am not noble. Hanged!--it is impossible; they
would never