o declined to give any name, was brought
before the Academy of Sciences, charged with having assaulted a gentleman
of the name of Uranus in the public highway. The prosecutor was a youngish
looking person, wrapped up in two or three great coats; and looked chillier
than anything imaginable, except the prisoner,--whose teeth absolutely
shook, all the time.

Policeman Le Verrier[804] stated that he saw the prosecutor walking along
the pavement,--and sometimes turning sideways, and sometimes running up to
the railings and jerking about in a strange way. Calculated that somebody
must be pulling his coat, or otherwise assaulting him. It was so dark that
he could not see; but thought, if he watched the direction in which the
next odd move was made, he might find out something. When the time came, he
set Bruennow, a constable in another division of the same force, to watch
where he told him; and Bruennow caught the prisoner lurking about in the
very spot,--trying to look as if he was minding his own business. Had
suspected for a long time that somebody was lurking about in the
neighborhood. Bruennow was then called, and deposed to his catching the
prisoner as described.

_M. Arago._--Was the prosecutor sober?

_Le Verrier._--Lord, yes, your worship; no man who had a drop in him ever
looks so cold as he did.

_M. Arago._--Did you see the assault?

_Le Verrier._--I can't say I did; but I told Bruennow exactly how he'd be
crouched down;--just as he was.

{391}

_M. Arago (to Bruennow)._--Did _you_ see the assault?

_Bruennow._--No, your worship; but I caught the prisoner.

_M. Arago._--How did you know there was any assault at all?

_Le Verrier._--I reckoned it couldn't be otherwise, when I saw the
prosecutor making those odd turns on the pavement.

_M. Arago._--You reckon and you calculate! Why, you'll tell me, next, that
you policemen may sit at home and find out all that's going on in the
streets by arithmetic. Did you ever bring a case of this kind before me
till now?

_Le Verrier._--Why, you see, your worship, the police are growing cleverer
and cleverer every day. We can't help it:--it grows upon us.

_M. Arago._--You're getting too clever for me. What does the prosecutor
know about the matter?

The prosecutor said, all he knew was that he was pulled behind by somebody
several times. On being further examined, he said that he had seen the
prisoner often, but did not know his name, nor how he got his living;