s
the prisoner Harpar as one of a sect banded together for the darkest
purposes of revolution!'"

"Forgive my importunity, Herr Procurator," said I, in my most
insinuating tone, "but in compassion for the weakness of faculties
sorely tried by fever, will you tell me who is Rigges?"

"Who is Rigges? Is that your question?" said he, slowly.

"Yes, sir; that was my question."

He turned over several pages of his voluminous report, and proceeded to
search for the passage he wanted.

"Here it is," said he, at last; and he read out: "'The so-called Rigges,
being a well-born and not-the-less-from-a-mercantile-object-engaging
pursuit highly-placed and much-honored subject of her Majesty the Queen
of England, of the age of forty-two years and eight months, unmarried,
and professing the Protestant religion.' Is that sufficient?"

"Quite so; and now, will you, with equal urbanity, inform me who is
Harpar?"

"Who is Harpar? Who is Harpar? You surely do not ask me that?"

"I do; such is my question."

"I must confess that you surprise me. You ask me for information about
yourself!"

"Oh, indeed! So that I am Harpar?"

"You can, of course, deny it We are in a measure prepared for that. The
proofs of your identity will be, however, forthcoming; not to add that
it will be difficult to disprove the offence."

"Ha, the offence! I 'm really curious about that. What is the offence
with which I am charged?"

"What I have been reading these two hours. What I have recited with all
the clearness, brevity, and perspicuity that characterize our imperial
and royal legislation, making our code at once the envy and admiration
of all Europe."

"I 'm sure of that But what have I done?"

"With what for a dulness-charged and much-beclouded intellect are
you afflicted," cried he, "not to have followed the greatly-by-
circumstances-corroborated, and in-various-ways-by-proofs-brought-home
narrative that I have already read out."

"I have not heard one word of it!"

"What a deplorable and all-the-more-therefore-hopeless intelligence is
yours! I will begin it once more." And with a heavy sigh he turned over
the first pages of his manuscript.

"Nay, Herr Procurator," interposed I, hastily. "I have the less claim to
exact this sacrifice on your part, that even when you have rendered it,
it will be all fruitless and unprofitable. I am just recovering from a
severe illness. I am, as you have very acutely remarked, a man of very
narrow a