"And do you suppose that I won't have my revenge?" shouted Sans-Cravate, giving free vent to his anger, and clenching his fists with a threatening air. "Good!" said Jean Ficelle, patting the other's shoulder hypocritically; "that's more like you. You're still a man. I says to myself: 'It's mighty strange that a brick like Sans-Cravate stands being put upon without doing anything'; but I see that you have a plan; bravo! you're a man!" At that moment, a short, thin individual, dressed in black, but not well dressed, stopped in front of the two messengers, and said to them: "You two are the men I want; you're Sans-Cravate, aren't you; and you, Jean Ficelle?" They assented, and the man in black continued: "Then you'll be kind enough to come and see monsieur le commissaire." Jean Ficelle was visibly disturbed by the mention of the magistrate, while Sans-Cravate asked: "What the devil should we go to see monsieur le commissaire for? I've never been there, and I've no business to settle with him." "Weren't you at the Petit Bacchus wine shop last night, when a certain Laboussole was arrested there? weren't you drinking with him?" "Yes, but we didn't know him," Jean Ficelle made haste to reply. "You can tell monsieur le commissaire what you know about him; he wants to question you. That's all I know; don't fail to come this morning." "We will come, monsieur." The little man went away. Jean Ficelle had become thoughtful, and Sans-Cravate knitted his brows, muttering: "To have to go before the magistrate! Not three days ago, I was congratulating myself on never having had anything to do with him. I've had quarrels enough; I've often fought, but I've always fought fair. No man I ever whipped could complain of being tricked, and there was no need of going before a magistrate to settle our quarrels. And to-day--just because I drank with that Laboussole, a friend of yours,--and now you say that you don't know him, and again that he ain't a thief. Tell me the truth, do you know him, or not?" "Good God! as if I was called on to compromise myself before the magistrate to help someone else!" "But if that someone is your friend, if he's arrested unjustly, you'd be a coward if you didn't try to defend him." "Parbleu! Laboussole's a fox; he will get out of it without any help. Come, Sans-Cravate, don't be ugly; after all, the most respectable people go before the magistrate; you see, we're only summoned as witnesses." "_Sacrédié!_ what do you expect to be summoned for? Let's go right away; I long to have it over with." "All right, let's go." "But I don't know where the magistrate lives; do you, Jean Ficelle?" "Yes, it ain't very far from here; come, I'll show you the way." "And Paul hasn't come yet; but perhaps we shall find him at the magistrate's, too." The two messengers soon reached their destination.