"I shall appeal to our ambassador."

The judge waved his hand, as though the threat did not affect him.

"I must ask you to keep silence. You are here to be interrogated; you
will only speak in reply to my questions."

There was a pause, during which judge and accused looked hard at each
other; the former seeking to read the other's inmost thoughts, the
latter meeting the gaze with resolute and unflinching eyes.

"What is your age?"

"Twenty-six."

"Are you married?"

"Yes."

"But your wife has left you."

Gascoigne started in spite of himself.

"How do you know that?" he asked, nervously.

"It is for me to question. But I know it: that is enough. Your
occupation and position in life?"

"I am a gentleman, living on my means."

"It is false." An angry flush rose to Gascoigne's face as the judge
thus gave him the lie. "It is false--you are a professional gambler--a
Greek--a sharper, with no ostensible means!"

"Pardon me, monsieur; you are quite misinformed. I could prove to you--"

"It would be useless; the police have long known and watched you."

"Such espionage is below contempt," cried Gascoigne, indignantly.

"Silence! Do not dare to question the conduct of the authorities. It
is the visit of persons of your stamp to Paris that renders such
precautions necessary."

"If you believe all you hear from your low agents, with their lying,
scandalous reports--"

"Be careful, prisoner; your demeanour will get you into trouble. Our
information about you is accurate and trustworthy. Judge for
yourself."

Gascoigne looked incredulous.

"Listen; you arrived in Paris three months ago, accompanied by a young
demoiselle whom you had decoyed from her home."

"She was my wife."

"Yes; you married her after your arrival here. The official records of
the 21st arrondisement prove that--married her without her parents'
consent."

"That is not so. They approved."

"How could they? Your wife's father is French vice-consul at
Gibraltar. Her mother is dead. Neither was present at your marriage;
how, then, could they approve?"

Gascoigne did not answer.

"On your first arrival you were well provided with funds--the
proceeds, no doubt, of some nefarious scheme; a run of luck at the
tables; the plunder of some pigeon--"

"The price of my commission in the English Army."

"Bah! You never were in the English Army."

"I can prove it."

"I shall not believe you. Being in funds, I say, you lived riotous