ed up close to him, so that neither sentries nor passers-by
might hear.

"Me? I want nothing. I was only thinking that Monsieur le General had
been annoyed. A thousand pardons! I was only wondering--well, I have my
provocations too, plenty of them!"

"I'll be bound you have, in such a service as yours," said the General,
staring at him. "Come to the hotel this evening, and I'll talk to you."

The officers who dined that day with their chief found his company less
attractive than ever. He was wrapped up in his own thoughts, and to
judge by his face, they were anything but agreeable. The whole mess was
glad to be relieved of his scowling presence unusually early. He had
drunk little, and went away unusually sober; but that was not always a
good sign with him. If he chose to keep a clear brain, it was generally
for his own ends, and they were seldom virtuous or desirable.

The General was scarcely in his own room when Simon presented himself,
sneaking upstairs with a light tread and slipping noiselessly through
the door, his dark face full of eager expectation. He had often wondered
whether there might not be some special dirty work to be done for the
General, and had taken pains to keep himself under his eye and in his
good looks. If the civil power chose to let the Chouans have it all
their own way, the military power might one of these days step in
effectively. But Simon was not particular. Whatever the work might be,
public or private, he was at the service of the authorities. If only the
authorities would take his view of their interest and duty!

It was a little difficult to stand unmoved under General Ratoneau's
bullying stare. Simon did so, however, his mouth only working a little
at the corners. How far might he go with this man? he was asking
himself. Ratoneau did not keep him long in suspense. He suddenly took
his cigar from his mouth, swore a tremendous oath, and kicked a chair
across the room.

"Are you to be trusted, fellow?" he said.

"I have kept a few secrets, monsieur," Simon answered discreetly.

"Then here is another for you. I wish that chair was Monsieur le Baron
de Mauves."

"Ah! Indeed! There has been some disagreement. I saw it, when Monsieur
le General came out of the Prefecture this afternoon."

"You saw it, did you? No wonder! I try to hide nothing--why should I?
But tell me, I beseech you, why are we in this miserable department
cursed with a feather-bed for a governor?"

"If I mig