, laughing ferociously, he said,--

"Ah! you would like to 'squeeze' me, and make me cut my own throat. But
luckily, I can see through you; and I refuse to answer."

"You mean you want to consider. Have a care! You need not consider in
order to tell the truth."

And, as the man remained obstinately silent, the magistrate began again
after a pause, saying,--

"You know what you are accused of? They suspect that you fired at Lieut.
Champcey with intent to kill."

"That is an abominable lie!"

"So you say. How did you hear that the officers of 'The Conquest' had
arranged a large hunting-party?"

"I had heard them speak of it at _table d'hote_."

"And you left your service in order to attend this hunt, some twelve
miles from Saigon? That is certainly singular."

"Not at all; for I am very fond of hunting. And then I thought, if I
could bring back a large quantity of game, I would probably be able to
sell it very well."

"And you would have added the profit to your other savings, wouldn't
you?"

Crochard, surnamed Bagnolet, was stung by the point of this ironical
question, as if he had received a sharp cut. But, as he said nothing,
the magistrate continued,--

"Explain to us how the thing happened."

On this ground the murderer knew he was at home, having had ample time
to get ready; and with an accuracy which did great honor to his memory,
or to his veracity, he repeated what he had told the surgeon on the
spot, and at the time of the catastrophe. He only added, that he had
concealed himself, because he had seen at once to what terrible charges
he would be exposed by his awkwardness. And as he continued his account,
warming up with its plausibility, he recovered the impudence, or
rather the insolence, which seemed to be the prominent feature of his
character.

"Do you know the officer whom you have wounded?" asked the magistrate
when he had finished.

"Of course, I do, as I have made the voyage with him. He is Lieut.
Champcey."

"Have you any complaint against him?"

"None at all."

Then he added in a tone of bitterness and resentment,--

"What relations do you think could there be between a poor devil like
myself and a great personage like him? Would he have condescended even
to look at me? Would I have dared to speak to him? If I know him, it is
only because I have seen him, from afar off, walk the quarter-deck with
the other officers, a cigar in his mouth, after a good meal, while we
in the for