depot of the prefecture de
police, "where," he said, "if you make haste, you will still find her."
He gave us a letter of introduction for the official charged to deal
with refractory "filles soumises," or offending insoumises, because,
then as now, these unfortunates were not tried by an ordinary police
magistrate in open court, but summarily punished by said official, the
sentences being subject, however, to revision or confirmation by his
superior, the chief of the municipal police. Nay, the decisions were not
even communicated to these women until they were safely lodged in
Saint-Lazare, lest there should be a disturbance; for they were not
examined one by one; and, as may be imagined, the contagion of revolt
spread easily among those hysterical and benighted creatures.

When we reached the prefecture de police the judging was over, but, on
our sending in our letter, we were admitted at once to the official's
room. After David's description, he remembered the woman, and told us at
once that she had not been sent to Saint-Lazare, but liberated. Some one
had interceded for her--no less a personage than Canler, who, though at
the time but a superintendent, was already fast springing into notice as
a detective of no mean skill. "What had he done with her?" was David's
question. "I could not tell you," was the courteous reply; "but I will
give you his address, and he will no doubt give you all the information
in his power and consistent with his duty." With this we were bowed out
of the room.

We did not succeed in seeing Canler until two days afterwards, or,
rather, on the evening of the second day; for, at that period, he was
entrusted with the surveillance of the theatres on the Boulevard du
Temple. I may have occasion to speak of him again, so I need not give
his portrait here. He was about fifty, and, unlike one of his
successors, M. Claude, the type of the old soldier. Of his honesty there
never was, there could have never been, a doubt, nor was his
intelligence ever questioned. And yet, this very honest, intelligent
man, in his all-absorbing pursuit, the detection and chasing of
criminals, was sufficiently dishonest and unintelligent to foster, if
not to inaugurate, a system subversive of all morality.

David's name was a passport everywhere, and, no sooner had it been sent
in, than Canler came out to him. The sculptor stated his business, and
the police officer made a wry face. "I am afraid, M. David, I cannot