which struck my chest, drove me down
twenty stairs. I sprung forward again, and that so quickly,
that, to escape from my pursuit, he was compelled to return
into the house through a sash-window. I then knocked loudly at
the door, summoning him to open it without delay. This he
refused to do. I then desired Annette, who had followed me, to
go in search of the guard; and, whilst she was preparing to
obey me, I counterfeited the noise of a man descending the
stairs. Watrin, deceived by this feint, was anxious to satisfy
himself whether I had actually gone, and softly put his head
out of the window, to observe if all was safe. This was exactly
what I wanted. I made a vigorous dart forwards, and seized him
by the hair of his head: he grasped me in the same manner, and
a desperate struggle took place: jammed against the
partition-wall which separated us, he opposed me with a
determined resistance. Nevertheless, I felt that he was growing
weaker; I collected all my strength for a last effort; I
strained every nerve, and drew him nearly out of the window
through which we were struggling; one more trial, and the
victory was mine; but in the earnestness of my grasp, we both
rolled on the passage floor, on to which I had pulled him. To
rise, snatch from his hands the shoemaker's cutting knife with
which he had armed himself, to bind him and lead him out of the
house, was the work of an instant. Accompanied only by Annette,
I conducted him to the prefecture, where I received the
congratulations, first of M. Henry, and afterwards those of the
prefect of police, who bestowed on me a pecuniary recompense."

The next account we shall transcribe, is one of his freeing the
community of a receiver of stolen goods. This man had been long watched
by the police; but all attempts to convict him had failed. Accordingly
M. Henry was desirous that Vidocq should use his endeavours, which he
readily did as follows.

"Posted near the house of the suspected dealer in stolen
property, I watched for his going out; and, following him when
he had gone a few steps down the street, addressed him by a
different name to his own. He assured me I was mistaken; I
protested to the contrary; he insisted upon it I was deceived;
and I affected to be equally satisfied of his identity,
declaring my p