part of the country the manufactories of tiles are
called _carronnieres_; they belong to citizen Terrier. That's the place
they ought to be on the map."

And Roland made a pencil mark on the paper to show the exact spot where
the stoppage occurred.

"What!" exclaimed Bonaparte; "why, it happened less than a mile and a
half from Bourg!"

"Scarcely that, general; that explains why the wounded horse was taken
back to Bourg and died in the stables of the Belle-Alliance."

"Do you hear all these details, sir!" said Bonaparte, addressing the
minister of police.

"Yes, citizen First Consul," answered the latter.

"You know I want this brigandage to stop?"

"I shall use every effort--"

"It's not a question of your efforts, but of its being done."

The minister bowed.

"It is only on that condition," said Bonaparte, "that I shall admit you
are the able man you claim to be."

"I'll help you, citizen," said Roland.

"I did not venture to ask for your assistance," said the minister.

"Yes, but I offer it; don't do anything that we have not planned
together."

The minister looked at Bonaparte.

"Quite right," said Bonaparte; "you can go. Roland will follow you to
the ministry."

Fouche bowed and left the room.

"Now," continued the First Consul, "your honor depends upon your
exterminating these bandits, Roland. In the first place, the thing is
being carried on in your department; and next, they seem to have some
particular grudge against you and your family."

"On the contrary," said Roland, "that's what makes me so furious; they
spare me and my family."

"Let's go over it again, Roland. Every detail is of importance; it's a
war of Bedouins over again."

"Just notice this, general. I spend a night in the Chartreuse of
Seillon, because I have been told that it was haunted by ghosts. Sure
enough, a ghost appears, but a perfectly inoffensive one. I fire at it
twice, and it doesn't even turn around. My mother is in a diligence
that is stopped, and faints away. One of the robbers pays her the most
delicate attentions, bathes her temples with vinegar, and gives her
smelling-salts. My brother Edouard fights them as best he can; they take
him in their arms, kiss him, and make him all sorts of compliments on
his courage; a little more and they would have given him sugar-plums as
a reward for his gallant conduct. Now, just the reverse; my friend Sir
John follows my example, goes where I have been; he is treated as