lone, on the
recommendation of the Keeper of the Seals; and the place you wish to
hold is in the gift of the Prefet of Police."

"Monsieur Garnery," the office-boy announced.

At a nod from Monsieur de Granville the Delegate commissioner came
in, glanced at Jacques Collin as one who knows, and gulped down his
astonishment on hearing the word "Go!" spoken to Jacques Collin by
Monsieur de Granville.

"Allow me," said Jacques Collin, "to remain here till Monsieur Garnery
has returned with the documents in which all my strength lies, that I
may take away with me some expression of your satisfaction."

This absolute humility and sincerity touched the public prosecutor.

"Go," said he; "I can depend on you."

Jacques Collin bowed humbly, with the submissiveness of an inferior to
his master. Ten minutes later, Monsieur de Granville was in possession
of the letters in three sealed packets that had not been opened! But
the importance of this point, and Jacques Collin's avowal, had made him
forget the convict's promise to cure Madame de Serizy.

When once he was outside, Jacques Collin had an indescribable sense of
satisfaction. He felt he was free, and born to a new phase of life. He
walked quickly from the Palais to the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres,
where mass was over. The coffin was being sprinkled with holy water, and
he arrived in time thus to bid farewell, in a Christian fashion, to the
mortal remains of the youth he had loved so well. Then he got into a
carriage and drove after the body to the cemetery.

In Paris, unless on very exceptional occasions, or when some famous
man has died a natural death, the crowd that gathers about a funeral
diminishes by degrees as the procession approaches Pere-Lachaise. People
make time to show themselves in church; but every one has his business
to attend to, and returns to it as soon as possible. Thus of ten
mourning carriages, only four were occupied. By the time they reached
Pere-Lachaise there were not more than a dozen followers, among whom was
Rastignac.

"That is right; it is well that you are faithful to him," said Jacques
Collin to his old acquaintance.

Rastignac started with surprise at seeing Vautrin.

"Be calm," said his old fellow-boarder at Madame Vauquer's. "I am your
slave, if only because I find you here. My help is not to be despised;
I am, or shall be, more powerful than ever. You slipped your cable, and
you did it very cleverly; but you may need