individual; and that this present of fish, suggested by my
friend the corporal, was intended by him, in all kindness, as a bribe,
whereby I might obtain as favourable an introduction as possible to the
presence of the great man.

Monsieur Lemaitre stooped down and, with much deliberation, turned over
the various fish which I had brought, finally selecting a quantity of
the choicest, amounting to about half my stock, which he laid upon the
stone pavement of the hall. This done, he, in a very gracious and
patronising manner, assured me I might count upon his best services to
obtain for me an early interview with his master, and retired; promising
to send some one forthwith to remove the fish he had selected.

The moment he was out of sight, my friend the corporal turned to me, and
congratulated me warmly upon the favourable reception which had been
accorded me by the great man's great man; congratulating himself, at the
same time, upon the opportunity which had been afforded him of rendering
a service of some little importance to a stranger. As he spoke thus, he
cast such an expressive glance into my fish-basket, that there was no
possibility of my misunderstanding him. Accordingly, when he
immediately added that, as he could now be of no further service to me,
he would take his departure, I uttered a few words of thanks for his
kindness; and expressed a hope that he would oblige me by making a
further selection of fish, as a slight token of my gratitude.

"Well, comrade," said he, "since you are so anxious about the matter, I
will; and I do it all the more readily since--between you and me--you
will find these fellows about here such sharks that you will have to
part with every fish in your basket before you will get an opportunity
of reporting yourself. For my part, I detest such greediness; nothing
is more abhorrent to a sensitive soul like mine; I consider that it
ought to be baulked and discouraged in every way; and in order to aid in
so good a work as far as possible I will just take this--and this--and
these three--under my own care. And now--good-bye, comrade--nay, no
thanks; you are heartily welcome; and I wish you a pleasant interview
with the general."

Saying which he hastily retired through the wicket; just as a sound of
footsteps along the passage under the staircase announced the approach
of Monsieur Lemaitre's assistants.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

HOW THE ADVENTURE TERMINATED.

The new-comers prov