lied he.

"I hope not, for your sake, my fine fellow," said the agent; then,
turning to the ogress, "Good night, Mother Ponisse; your _tapis-franc_
is a regular mouse-trap; this is the third assassin I have taken here."

"I hope it won't be the last, M. Narcisse; it is quite at your service,"
said the ogress, making a very insinuating nod with her head.

After the departure of the police, the young vagabond with the haggard
visage, who was smoking and drinking brandy, refilled his pipe, and said
in a hoarse voice to the Chourineur:

"Didn't you 'twig' the 'cove' in the Greek cap? He's Boulotte's man.
When I saw the traps walk in, I says to myself, says I, there's
something up; and then, too, I saw him keep his hand always under the
table."

"It's lucky for the Schoolmaster and Gros-Boiteux that they were not
here," said the ogress; "Greek cap asked twice for him, and said they
had business together; but I never turn 'nose' (informer) on any
customer. If they take them, very well,--every one to his trade; but I
never sell my friends. Oh, talk of the old gentleman, and you see his
horns," added the hag, as at the moment a man and woman entered the
cabaret; "here they are,--the Schoolmaster and his companion. Well, he
was right not to show her, for I never see such an ugly creetur in my
born days. She ought to be very much obliged to him for having taken up
with such a face."

At the name of the Schoolmaster, a sort of shudder seemed to circulate
amongst the guests of the _tapis-franc_. Rodolph, himself, in spite of
his natural intrepidity, could not wholly subdue a slight emotion at the
sight of this redoubtable ruffian, whom he contemplated for some
seconds with a mixed feeling of curiosity and horror. The Chourineur had
spoken truth when he said that the Schoolmaster was frightfully
mutilated. Nothing can be imagined more horrible than the countenance of
this man. His face was furrowed in all directions with deep, livid
cicatrices; the corrosive action of the vitriol had puffed out his lips;
the cartilages of his nose were divided, and two misshapen holes
supplied the loss of nostrils. His gray eyes were bright, small,
circular, and sparkled savagely; his forehead, as flat as a tiger's, was
half hidden beneath a fur cap, with long yellow hair, looking like the
crest of a monster.

The Schoolmaster was not more than five feet four or five; his head,
which was disproportionately large, was buried between two shoul