good and all! This hit-and-miss made Nibet foam with
rage. Of all the exasperating simpletons, this fool of a Cranajour took
the cake!

The two made their way back to the store, where Mother Toulouche and big
Ernestine anxiously awaited results; and now not only had the two men
returned stuttering over their statements and with no news of the
boatman, who was generally up to time, but they had missed a fine
opportunity chance had offered them!

Nibet hated the journalist like all the poisons. Taunts, jeers, abuse
were heaped on the silly head of Cranajour, who, all in vain, raised his
eyes to heaven, beat his chest, shrugged his shoulders, stammered,
mumbled vague excuses:

"He didn't know exactly why he had done it! He thought he was helping
Nibet!"

They disputed and contended for two hours. Suddenly Cranajour broke a
long silence and demanded, looking as stupid as a half-witted owl:

"What have I done then? What are you scolding me for?"

Mother Toulouche, big Ernestine, and the wrathful Nibet stared at one
another, taken aback--then they understood: two hours had gone by, and
Cranajour no longer remembered what had happened!

Decidedly he was more innocent than a new-born babe! There was nothing
whatever to be done with such an idiot, that was certain!

VI

IN THE OPPOSITE SENSE

When Jerome Fandor had been precipitated into the Seine so unexpectedly
and with such violence he kept control of his wits: he did not utter a
cry as he fell head foremost into the darkling river. He was an
excellent swimmer: all aching as he was, he let himself go with the
current and presently reached the sheltering arch of the Pont Neuf.
There he took breath for a minute:

"Queer!" was all he murmured. Then with regular strokes he made for the
steep bank of the Seine opposite. Quitting the river, he secreted
himself behind a heap of stones which lay on the quay. He took off his
soaked garments and wrung the water out of them. This done, and clad in
what looked like dry clothes, Fandor walked along the quay, hailed a
passing cabman half asleep on his seat, jumped inside, and gave his
address to the Jehu.

* * * * *

When he arrived at _La Capitale_ on the Friday morning a boy approached
him, and whispered mysteriously:

"Monsieur Fandor, there's a very nice little woman in the sitting-room,
who has been waiting for over an hour. She wishes to see you. She will
not give her name: s