"When one thinks," cried the grisette, "that there are laws for robbers and cut-purses, and none for the scoundrels who ruin poor girls!" "But there are, Gervaise." "There are?" "Why, of course. Didn't I tell you that they sent poor Ascanio to the Châtelet for seducing Colombe." "They did well, too," said Gervaise, to whom the loss of her honor had never presented itself so forcibly until she was fully convinced that Jacques Aubry was determined not to give her his name by way of compensation. "Yes, they did well, and I wish you were in the Châtelet with him!" "Mon Dieu! that's all I ask," cried the student; "and as I told you, my little Gervaise, I rely upon you to put me there." "You rely upon me." "Yes." "Make sport of me, ingrate!" "I'm not making sport of you, Gervaise. I say that if you had the courage--" "To do what?" "Accuse me before the judge." "Of what?" "Of having seduced you; but you would never dare." "What's that? I wouldn't dare," cried Gervaise in an injured tone,--"I wouldn't dare to tell the truth!" "Consider that you would have to make oath to it, Gervaise." "I'll do it." "You will make oath that I seduced you?" "Yes, yes,--a hundred times yes!" "Then all goes well," said the student joyfully. "I confess I was afraid: an oath is a serious matter." "I'll take my oath to it this instant, and send you to the Châtelet, monsieur." "Good!" "And you will find your Ascanio there." "Splendid!" "And you will have all the time you need to do penance together." "It's all that I ask." "Where is the lieutenant criminal?" "At the Palais de Justice." "I will go there at once." "Let us go together, Gervaise." "Yes, together. In that way the punishment will follow at once." "Take my arm, Gervaise." "Come, monsieur." They set off toward the Palais de Justice at the same gait at which they were accustomed to repair on Sundays to the Pré-aux-Clercs or the Butte Montmartre. As they drew near the Temple of Themis, as Jacques Aubry poetically called the edifice in question, Gervaise's pace slackened perceptibly. When they reached the foot of the staircase, she had some difficulty in ascending; and finally, at the door of the lieutenant criminal's sanctum, her legs failed her altogether, and the student felt her whole weight hanging upon his arm. "Well, Gervaise," said he, "is your courage giving out?" "No," said Gervaise, "but a lieutenant criminal is an appalling creature." "Pardieu! he's a man like other men!" "True, but one must tell him things--" "Very well; tell them." "But I must swear." "Then swear." "Jacques," said Gervaise, "are you quite sure that you seduced me?" "Am I sure of it!" said Jacques. "Pardieu! Besides, didn't you just insist upon it yourself that I did?" "Yes, that is true; but, strangely enough, I don't seem to see things now in just the same light that I did a short time ago." "Come, come," said Jacques, "you are weakening already: I knew you would."