time; they pitch upon the moment when the plate is laid upon the table.
They enter, and in the twinkling of an eye, they cause spoons, forks,
ladles, &c. to vanish. This is technically termed _goupiner à la
desserte_, (clearing the cloth).

"One day one of these _goupineurs à la desserte_ was on the look
out in a dining room, when a servant entered carrying two silver dishes,
between which were some fish. Without being at all disconcerted, he went
up to her, and said--'Well, go and bring up the soup, the gentlemen are
in a hurry.'

"'Yes, sir,' said the maid, taking him for one of the guests, 'it is
quite ready, and if you please you can announce the dinner.'

"At the same time she ran to the kitchen, and the _goupineur_,
after having hastily emptied the dishes, thrust them between his
waistcoat and shirt. The girl returned with the broth, the pretended
guest had retired, and there was not a single piece of silver left on
the table. They denounced this theft to me, and from the statement
given, as well as the description of the person committing the robbery,
I thought I had recognised my man. He was called _Cheinaux_, alias
_Bayer_, and was discovered and apprehended in Saint Catherine's
market. His shirt was marked with the circumference of the dishes, in
consequence of the remains of the sauce left in them.

"Another body of _bonjouriers_ more particularly direct their
talents to furnished houses.

"The individuals forming this class are on foot from the dawn of day.
Their talent is evinced by the adroit mode in which they baffle the