"If I could only plead my own cause," he thought. "What are cold written
phrases in comparison with spoken, living words, palpitating with
emotion and imbued with the convictions of the speaker."

However, he was soon reassured. The magistrate's face retained its
immobility, but again and again did M. d'Escorval nod his head in token
of approval, and occasionally some point more ingenious than the others
extorted from his lips the exclamations: "Not bad--very good!"

When he had finished the perusal he turned to the commissary and
remarked: "All this is very unlike your report of this morning, which
represented the affair as a low broil between a party of miserable
vagabonds."

The observation was only too just and fair; and the commissary deeply
regretted that he had trusted to Gevrol's representations, and remained
in bed. "This morning," he responded evasively, "I only gave you my
first impressions. These have been modified by subsequent researches, so
that--"

"Oh!" interrupted the magistrate, "I did not intend to reproach you; on
the contrary, I must congratulate you. One could not have done better
nor acted more promptly. The investigation that has been carried out
shows great penetration and research, and the results are given with
unusual clearness, and wonderful precision."

Lecoq's head whirled.

The commissary hesitated for an instant. At first he was sorely tempted
to confiscate this praise to his own profit. If he drove away the