ee families, and you only the lives
of three convicts in yours," said Jacques Collin. "I have the stronger
hand."

"But you may be sent back to the dark cells: then, what will you do?"
said the public prosecutor.

"Oh! we are to play the game out then!" said Jacques Collin. "I was
speaking as man to man--I was talking to Monsieur de Granville. But if
the public prosecutor is my adversary, I take up the cards and hold them
close.--And if only you had given me your word, I was ready to give you
back the letters that Mademoiselle Clotilde de Grandlieu----"

This was said with a tone, an audacity, and a look which showed Monsieur
de Granville, that against such an adversary the least blunder was
dangerous.

"And is that all you ask?" said the magistrate.

"I will speak for myself now," said Jacques. "The honor of the Grandlieu
family is to pay for the commutation of Theodore's sentence. It is
giving much to get very little. For what is a convict in penal servitude
for life? If he escapes, you can so easily settle the score. It is
drawing a bill on the guillotine! Only, as he was consigned to Rochefort
with no amiable intentions, you must promise me that he shall be
quartered at Toulon, and well treated there.

"Now, for myself, I want something more. I have the packets of letters
from Madame de Serizy and Madame de Maufrigneuse.--And what letters!--I
tell you, Monsieur le Comte, prostitutes, when they write letters,
assume a style of sentiment; well, sir, fine ladies, who are accustomed
to style and sentiment all day long, write as prostitutes behave.
Philosophers may know the reasons for this contrariness. I do not
care to seek them. Woman is an inferior animal; she is ruled by her
instincts. To my mind a woman has no beauty who is not like a man.

"So your smart duchesses, who are men in brains only, write
masterpieces. Oh! they are splendid from beginning to end, like Piron's
famous ode!----"

"Indeed!"

"Would you like to see them?" said Jacques Collin, with a laugh.

The magistrate felt ashamed.

"I cannot give them to you to read. But, there; no nonsense; this is
business and all above board, I suppose?--You must give me back the
letters, and allow no one to play the spy or to follow or to watch the
person who will bring them to me."

"That will take time," said Monsieur de Granville.

"No. It is half-past nine," replied Jacques Collin, looking at the
clock; "well, in four minutes you will have a lett