ike himself, and then added aloud: "The
prefect of police must have more money than he knows what to do with, to
pay two men for such a nonsensical job as this."

Lecoq disdained to reply to this slighting remark. For more than a
fortnight the General had profited of every opportunity to make himself
as disagreeable as possible, and the young detective feared he would be
unable to control his temper if the discussion continued. It would be
better to remain silent, and to work and wait for success. To succeed
would be revenge enough! Moreover, he was impatient to see these
unwelcome visitors depart; believing, perhaps, that Gevrol was quite
capable of attracting the prisoner's attention by some unusual sound.

As soon as they went away, Lecoq hastily spread his blanket over the
stones and stretched himself out upon it in such a position that he
could alternately apply his eye and his ear to the aperture. In this
position he had an admirable view of the cell below. He could see the
door, the bed, the table, and the chair; only the small space near the
window and the window itself were beyond his range of observation. He
had scarcely completed his survey, when he heard the bolts rattle: the
prisoner was returning from his walk. He seemed in excellent spirits,
and was just completing what was, undoubtedly, a very interesting story,
since the keeper who accompanied him lingered for a moment to hear the
finish. Lecoq was delighted with the success of his experiment. He
could hear as easily as he could see. Each syllable reached his ear
distinctly, and he had not lost a single word of the recital, which was
amusing, though rather coarse.

The turnkey soon left the cell; the bolts rattled once more, and the
key grated in the lock. After walking once or twice across his cell, May
took up his volume of Beranger and for an hour or more seemed completely
engrossed in its contents. Finally, he threw himself down upon his bed.
Here he remained until meal-time in the evening, when he rose and ate
with an excellent appetite. He next resumed the study of his book, and
did not go to bed until the lights were extinguished.

Lecoq knew well enough that during the night his eyes would not serve
him, but he trusted that his ears might prove of use, hoping that some
telltale word might escape the prisoner's lips during his restless
slumber. In this expectation he was disappointed. May tossed to and fro
upon his pallet; he sighed, and one m