up again, Colonel's uniform and all?"

"True or not, subaltern, I'll run the risk of saying it's true."

"I fancy, with all proper deference, that they will not make much at
it."

"You should know, Freminot, that nothing is impossible to your
superiors! You are not unaware even now, that dried vegetables, on being
boiled, recover their original and natural appearance!"

"But, Corp'ral, if one were to cook them, three days' time, they'd
dissolve into broth."

"But, imbecile, why shouldn't one consider old soldiers hard to cook?"

At noon, the commisioner of police and the lieutenant of _gens-d'armes_
made way through the crowd and entered the house. These gentlemen
hastened to declare to M. Renault that their visit had nothing of an
official character, but that they had come merely from curiosity. In the
corridor, they met the Sub-prefect, the Mayor and Gothon, who was
lamenting in loud tones that she should see the government lend its hand
to such sorceries.

About one o'clock, M. Nibor caused a new and prolonged bath to be given
the Colonel, on coming out of which, the body was subjected to a
kneading harder and more complete than before.

"Now," said the Doctor, "we can carry M. Fougas into the laboratory, in
order to give his resuscitation all the publicity desirable. But it will
be well to dress him, and his uniform is in tatters."

"I think," answered good M. Renault, "that the Colonel is about my size;
so I can lend him some of my clothes. Heaven grant that he may use
them! But, between us, I don't hope for it."

Gothon brought in, grumbling, all that was necessary to dress an
entirely naked man. But her bad humor did not hold out before the beauty
of the Colonel:

"Poor gentleman!" she exclaimed, "he is young, fresh and fair as a
little chicken. If he doesn't revive, it will be a great pity!"

There were about forty people in the laboratory when Fougas was carried
thither. M. Nibor, assisted by M. Martout, placed him on a sofa, and
begged a few moments of attentive silence. During these proceedings,
Mme. Renault sent to inquire if she could come in. She was admitted.

"Madame and gentlemen," said Dr. Nibor, "life will manifest itself in a
few minutes. It is possible that the muscles will act first, and that
their action may be convulsive, on account of not yet being regulated by
the influence of the nervous system. I ought to apprise you of this
fact, in order that you may not be frightened if such