monsieur' is a Frenchman."

"But, monsieur, he is smooth-shaven."

"Perhaps he has been a maitre d'hotel."

"Eh! I wish one that _I_ know could hope to dress as well when he
retires! Besides, Glouglou says that other monsieur eats his soup
silently."

"I can find no flaw in the deduction," I said, rising to go to bed. "We
must leave it there for to-night."

The next evening Amedee allowed me to perceive that he was concealing
something under his arm as he stoked the coffee-machine, and upon my
asking what it was, he glanced round the courtyard with histrionic
slyness, placed the object on the table beside my cap, and stepped back
to watch the impression, his manner that of one who declaims: "At last
the missing papers are before you!"

"What is that?" I said.

"It is a book."

"I am persuaded by your candour, Amedee, as well as by the general
appearance of this article," I returned as I picked it up, "that you are
speaking the truth. But why do you bring it to me?"

"Monsieur," he replied, in the tones of an old conspirator, "this
afternoon the professor and that other monsieur went as usual to walk in