taken by which less than ten thousand francs could be got.

At that very time, in 1829-30, some memoirs were brought out in which
the collective force of this association and the names of the leaders
were published by a famous member of the police-force. It was terrifying
to find there an army of skilled rogues, male and female; so numerous,
so clever, so constantly lucky, that such thieves as Pastourel,
Collonge, or Chimaux, men of fifty and sixty, were described as outlaws
from society from their earliest years! What a confession of the
ineptitude of justice that rogues so old should be at large!

Jacques Collin had been the cashier, not only of the "Ten-thousand," but
also of the "Great Pals," the heroes of the hulks. Competent authorities
admit that the hulks have always owned large sums. This curious fact is
quite conceivable. Stolen goods are never recovered but in very singular
cases. The condemned criminal, who can take nothing with him, is obliged
to trust somebody's honesty and capacity, and to deposit his money; as
in the world of honest folks, money is placed in a bank.

Long ago Bibi-Lupin, now for ten years a chief of the department of
Public Safety, had been a member of the aristocracy of "Pals." His
treason had resulted from offended pride; he had been constantly
set aside in favor of _Trompe-la-Mort's_ superior intelligence and
prodigious strength. Hence his persistent vindictiveness against Jacques
Collin. Hence, also, certain compromises between Bibi-Lupin and his old
companions, which the magistrates were beginning to take seriously.

So in his desire for vengeance, to which the examining judge had given
play under the necessity of identifying Jacques Collin, the chief of the
"Safety" had very skilfully chosen his allies by setting la Pouraille,
Fil-de-Soie, and le Biffon on the sham Spaniard--for la Pouraille and
Fil-de-Soie both belonged to the "Ten-thousand," and le Biffon was a
"Great Pal."

La Biffe, le Biffon's formidable trip, who to this day evades all the
pursuit of the police by her skill in disguising herself as a lady, was
at liberty. This woman, who successfully apes a marquise, a countess,
a baroness, keeps a carriage and men-servants. This Jacques Collin in
petticoats is the only woman who can compare with Asie, Jacques Collin's
right hand. And, in fact, every hero of the hulks is backed up by a
devoted woman. Prison records and the secret papers of the law courts
will tell you thi