ent pricked up his ears. He was
dazzled by the vision of an infinite number of bottles of the greenish
liquor whose name he bore. "Convince me, then," said he, taking a seat
upon a stool, which he had lifted from the floor.

Lecoq remained standing in front of him. "To begin with," he remarked,
"whom do you suppose the person we have just arrested to be?"

"A porter, probably, or a vagabond."

"That is to say, a man belonging to the lowest class of society:
consequently, a fellow without education."

"Certainly."

Lecoq spoke with his eyes fixed upon those of his companion. He
distrusted his own powers, as is usual with persons of real merit, but
he felt that if he could succeed in making his convictions penetrate his
comrade's obtuse mind, their exactitude would be virtually proved.

"And now," he continued, "what would you say if I showed you that this
young man had received an excellent, even refined, education?"

"I should reply that it was very extraordinary. I should reply that--but
what a fool I am! You have not proved it to me yet."

"But I can do so very easily. Do you remember the words that he uttered
as he fell?"

"Yes, I remember them perfectly. He said: 'It is the Prussians who are
coming.'"

"What do you suppose he meant by that?"

"What a question! I should suppose that he did not like the Prussians,
and that he supposed he was offering us a terrible insult."

Lecoq was waiting anxiously for this response. "Ah, well; Father
Absinthe," he said gravely, "you are wrong, quite wrong. And that this
man has an education superior to his apparent position is proved by the
fact that you did not understand his meaning, nor his intention. It was
this single phrase that enlightened me."

Father Absinthe's physiognomy expressed the strange and comical
perplexity of a man who is so thoroughly mystified that he knows not
whether to laugh, or to be angry. After reflecting a little, he decided
to adopt the latter course. "You are rather too young to impose upon an
old fellow like me," he remarked. "I don't like boasters--"

"One moment!" interrupted Lecoq; "allow me to explain. You have
certainly heard of a terrible battle which resulted in one of the
greatest defeats that ever happened to France--the battle of Waterloo?"

"I don't see the connection--"

"Answer, if you please."

"Yes--then! I have heard of it!"

"Very well; you must know then that for some time victory seemed likely
to rest with t