Is his hair the regulation cut? Where did you ever see
soldiers with their hair falling over their shoulders?"

This objection silenced the General for a moment; but he replied
bruskly: "Do you think that I keep my eyes in my pocket? What you have
remarked did not escape my notice; only I said to myself, here is a
young man who has profited by leave of absence to visit the wig maker."

"At least--"

But Gevrol would permit no more interruptions. "Enough talk," he
declared. "We will now hear what has happened. Mother Chupin, the old
hussy, is not dead!"

As he spoke, he advanced toward the old woman, who was still crouching
upon the stairs. She had not moved nor ventured so much as a look since
the entrance of the police, but her moans had not been discontinued.
With a sudden movement, Gevrol tore off the apron which she had thrown
over her head, and there she stood, such as years, vice, poverty, and
drink had made her; wrinkled, shriveled, toothless, and haggard, her
skin as yellow and as dry as parchment and drawn tightly over her bones.

"Come, stand up!" ordered the inspector. "Your lamentations don't affect
me. You ought to be sent to prison for putting such vile drugs into your
liquors, thus breeding madness in the brains of your customers."

The old woman's little red eyes traveled slowly round the room, and then
in tearful tones she exclaimed: "What a misfortune! what will become of
me? Everything is broken--I am ruined!" She only seemed impressed by the
loss of her table utensils.

"Now tell us how this trouble began," said Gevrol.

"Alas! I know nothing about it. I was upstairs mending my son's clothes,
when I heard a dispute."

"And after that?"

"Of course I came down, and I saw those three men that are lying
there picking a quarrel with the young man you have arrested; the poor
innocent! For he is innocent, as truly as I am an honest woman. If my
son Polyte had been here he would have separated them; but I, a poor
widow, what could I do! I cried 'Police!' with all my might."

After giving this testimony she resumed her seat, thinking she had said
enough. But Gevrol rudely ordered her to stand up again. "Oh! we have
not done," said he. "I wish for other particulars."

"What particulars, dear Monsieur Gevrol, since I saw nothing?"

Anger crimsoned the inspector's ears. "What would you say, old woman, if
I arrested you?"

"It would be a great piece of injustice."

"Nevertheless, it is what wil