Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-09-25
CHAPTER VI.


We took a fiacre to go to the prefecture
Of police, us we had taken one to come to
the Batignolles.
NJ. Mechinet was very much pre-Occu-
pied; his fingers never stopped travelling
from his snuff box to his nose, and l
heard him muttering between his teeth:
81 will have clear understanding! I
must have clear understandings
Then he drew the cork had given him
out of his pocket. turned ii over and over
like monkey examining nut, and muir
mured-
THE criminalty is proved, and yet
some cXpedient ought to come out of this
green cork"
l, leaning back in my corner. did not
utter , word.
My 'ituatiou was certainly a most sim
Gular one, but did not think of it. All
the intelligence l had was absorbed in
this business. was turning over in my
mind the various contradictory elements,
and eXhausting myself in trying to pene-
trate the secret of the drama, of which
had pEesentiment.
Night had closed in when our carriage
stopped.
The Quai dies Orfevres was deserted and
silent. Not a sound, not a step was
heard. The few shops in the neighbor-
hood were closed. All the life in the
quarter had collected in the little restaur-
ant at the corner the Rue de Jerusalem,
on whose red curtains appeared the shad
ows of the customers
"Win they let you have access to the
prisoner" l asked NJ. Mechinet.
"Certainly," he answered. Haven't
been ordered to follow up the affair?
Isu't II necessary, in consequence of un-
Ia
during the inquiry, that l should be able
the day or night?"
And he entered with rapid step, say
ing
Come. come; we've no time to lose"
There was no necessity To hurry me.
followed close behind, agitated by in
detlnable emotions. and quivering with
vague curiosity.
It was the first time ] had ever crossed
the threshold OF the prefecture of police,
and Heaven k lows what my preiudic,
were.
There" said to myself. not without
n certain emotion of terror, there is the
secret of Paris"
was so absorbed in my reflections.
that, forgetting to watch my steps,
nearly fell down.
The shock recalled me to a CONSCIOUSNESS,
Of my situation.
We were then passing along an i'm
meuse passage with damp walls and
rough pavement. My companion soon
entered Il little room where two men were
playing cards, while three or four others,
stretched on n camp bed, were smoking
pipes lie exchanged a few words with
them, which did not reach my ears, then
came out and we continued our walk
Having crossed a court. yard and entered
second passage, we soon reached an iron
grating with heavy bolts and formidable
lock.
At word from NJ. Mechinet an attend
ant opened the grating; we passed on the
right an immense hall, where l seemed to
see all the policemen in Paris, aud at last
climbed steep staircase.
At the top of this staircase, at the
entrance of a narrow corridor on which
opened number OF little doors, sat a
stout man with n pleasant face, who GER
tainly bore no resemblance to the classic
jailer.
why, it's Monsieur Mechinet!' he ex-
claimed, as he saw my companion. II
was expecting you. I'll bet you've come
to sec the murderer of the little old man
of the Batignolles."
Exactly. Is there anything new in
the casef"
"No"
"But the magistrate must have Gomez
''He has left here"
"Wellr"
HE didn't stay three minutes with the
prisoner, and looked very we'll satisfied
when he came away At the foot of the
stair he met the warden, and said, The
business will be easily settled; the muir
derer doesn't even attempt to deny"
NJ. Mechinet jumped at least three feet,
but the jailer didn't notice it, for he con.
tinued-
I'm not at all surprised. When saw
khe prisoner, as he was brought in, l said
to myself, Here's one who won't know
how to hold OUT"
"And what is he doing nowP"
lies groaning. was told to watch
him lest he should commit suicide, and OF
of the rascals who think more of their
own skins than of other peoples"
Let's take look at him" interrupted
NJ. Mechinet; "but make no noise"
All three of us instantly moved forward
on tiptoe TO an open door, pierced at the
height of man with grated window.
Through this window we could see
everything that was passing in the cell,
which was lighted by dim gas burner,
The jailer looked in first, NJ. Mechinet
next, then my turn came
On a narrow iron bedstead, covered
with gray woollen quilt, striped with
yellow, saw n man lying face down
ward, with his head almost hidden on his
folded arms.
He was weeping. The sound of his sobs
reached my ears, and at times a con-
vulsive shudder shook him from head to
foot.
"Open the door now" said NJ. Mechinet
to the jailer.
He obeyed, and we entered.
At the grating of the key the prisoner
had risen, and seated ON his pallet, with
legs and arms hanging and head bowed
upon his breast, looked at US with stu
pefed expression.
- BE was man thirty-ivs thirty