on the window-sill, and the next I had a
firm grip on the water-pipe with my hands and knees.

I slid down into the street easily and quietly, as I thought I should,
and immediately set off at the top of my speed to a branch "prefecture"
of Police, which I knew was situated in the immediate neighbourhood. A
"subprefect," and several picked men among his subordinates, happened to
be up, maturing, I believe, some scheme for discovering the perpetrator
of a mysterious murder which all Paris was talking of just then. When
I began my story, in a breathless hurry and in very bad French, I could
see that the subprefect suspected me of being a drunken Englishman who
had robbed somebody; but he soon altered his opinion as I went on, and
before I had anything like concluded, he shoved all the papers before
him into a drawer, put on his hat, supplied me with another (for I was
bareheaded), ordered a file of soldiers, desired his expert followers
to get ready all sorts of tools for breaking open doors and ripping
up brick flooring, and took my arm, in the most friendly and familiar
manner possible, to lead me with him out of the house. I will venture
to say that when the subprefect was a little boy, and was taken for the
first time to the play, he was not half as much pleased as he was now at
the job in prospect for him at the gambling-house!

Away we went through the streets, the subprefect cross-examining and
congratulating me in the same breath as we marched at the head of our
formidable posse comitatus. Sentinels were placed at the back and front
of the house the moment we got to it; a tremendous battery of knocks was
directed against the door; a light appeared at a window; I was told to
conceal myself behind the police; then came more knocks and a cry of
"Open in the name of the law!" At that terrible summons bolts and locks
gave way before an invisible hand, and the moment after the subprefect
was in the passage, confronting a waiter half dressed and ghastly pale.
This was the short dialogue which immediately took place:

"We want to see the Englishman who is sleeping in this house."

"He went away hours ago."

"He did no such thing. His friend went away; _he_ remained. Show us to
his bedroom!"

"I swear to you, Monsieur le Sous-prefet, he is not here! he--"

"I swear to you, Monsieur le Garcon, he is. He slept here; he didn't
find your bed comfortable; he came to us to complain of it; here he
is among my men; and here