e.

"But after fifty-two years' experience," Peyrade went on, "I know the
police well enough to have held my hand after the blowing up I had from
Monsieur le Prefet, who, no doubt, was right----"

"Then you would give up this fancy if Monsieur le Prefet required it
of you? That, I think, would be the best proof you could give of the
sincerity of what you say."

"He is going it! he is going it!" thought Peyrade. "Ah! by all that's
holy, the police to-day is a match for that of Monsieur Lenoir."

"Give it up?" said he aloud. "I will wait till I have Monsieur le
Prefet's orders.--But here we are at the hotel, if you wish to come up."

"Where do you find the money?" said Carlos point-blank, with a sagacious
glance.

"Monsieur, I have a friend----"

"Get along," said Carlos; "go and tell that story to an examining
magistrate!"

This audacious stroke on Carlos' part was the outcome of one of those
calculations, so simple that none but a man of his temper would have
thought it out.

At a very early hour he had sent Lucien to Madame de Serizy's. Lucien
had begged the Count's private secretary--as from the Count--to go and
obtain from the Prefet of Police full particulars concerning the agent
employed by the Baron de Nucingen. The secretary came back provided with
a note concerning Peyrade, a copy of the summary noted on the back of
his record:--

"In the police force since 1778, having come to Paris from Avignon
two years previously.

"Without money or character; possessed of certain State secrets.

"Lives in the Rue des Moineaux under the name of Canquoelle, the
name of a little estate where his family resides in the department
of Vaucluse; very respectable people.

"Was lately inquired for by a grand-nephew named Theodore de la
Peyrade. (See the report of an agent, No. 37 of the Documents.)"

"He must be the man to whom Contenson is playing the mulatto servant!"
cried Carlos, when Lucien returned with other information besides this
note.

Within three hours this man, with the energy of a Commander-in-Chief,
had found, by Paccard's help, an innocent accomplice capable of
playing the part of a gendarme in disguise, and had got himself up as
a peace-officer. Three times in the coach he had thought of killing
Peyrade, but he had made it a rule never to commit a murder with his own
hand; he promised himself that he would get rid of Peyrade all in good
time by pointing him out as a millionaire to