"

It must here be observed that Jacques Collin spoke French like a Spanish
trollop, blundering over it in such a way as to make his answers almost
unintelligible, and to require them to be repeated. But Monsieur de
Nucingen's German barbarisms have already weighted this Scene too much
to allow of the introduction of other sentences no less difficult to
read, and hindering the rapid progress of the tale.

"Then you have papers to prove your right to the dignities of which you
speak?" asked Camusot.

"Yes, monsieur--my passport, a letter from his Catholic Majesty
authorizing my mission.--In short, if you will but send at once to the
Spanish Embassy two lines, which I will write in your presence, I shall
be identified. Then, if you wish for further evidence, I will write to
His Eminence the High Almoner of France, and he will immediately send
his private secretary."

"And do you still pretend that you are dying?" asked the magistrate. "If
you have really gone through all the sufferings you have complained
of since your arrest, you ought to be dead by this time," said Camusot
ironically.

"You are simply trying the courage of an innocent man and the strength
of his constitution," said the prisoner mildly.

"Coquart, ring. Send for the prison doctor and an infirmary
attendant.--We shall be obliged to remove your coat and proceed to
verify the marks on your shoulder," Camusot went on.

"I am in your hands, monsieur."

The prisoner then inquired whether the magistrate would be kind enough
to explain to him what he meant by "the marks," and why they should be
sought on his shoulder. The judge was prepared for this question.

"You are suspected of being Jacques Collin, an escaped convict,
whose daring shrinks at nothing, not even at sacrilege!" said Camusot
promptly, his eyes fixed on those of the prisoner.

Jacques Collin gave no sign, and did not color; he remained quite calm,
and assumed an air of guileless curiosity as he gazed at Camusot.

"I, monsieur? A convict? May the Order I belong to and God above forgive
you for such an error. Tell me what I can do to prevent your continuing
to offer such an insult to the rights of free men, to the Church, and to
the King my master."

The judge made no reply to this, but explained to the Abbe that if
he had been branded, a penalty at that time inflicted by law on all
convicts sent to the hulks, the letters could be made to show by giving
him a slap on the shoulder.