"His name?" I said. "His name is----" I could not recall the name!--it had had no interest for me. I could remember saying, hypocritically, "I shall bear your name in mind "; but what it was I had no idea. I stood dazed. "His name----It escapes me for the moment." "Enough. The pretence is idle." "Morbleu!" thundered Beauregard. "Think, Panage, think!" "I am trying; but I paid no heed to it." Heavens! what a revenge for the mummer--the name that had fallen on careless ears was now my only chance of rescue. I thrashed my brains for it, sweating with funk. "The name----It evades me because I have met him only once in my life." "Or not so often! I am not to be duped." "Let me think; don't speak for a minute." "Farceur!" "His name----I--I nearly had it. Wait." "I have waited too long. Come! the pair of you." "His name--his name----" I sought it frantically. "His name is--_Paul Manesse!_" I mopped my neck. Our persecutor made a note. "Where is he to be found?" "How should I know that? It is not difficult for you to ascertain; doubtless any villager could direct you to him. Now, mark you, I have supplied the name of a resident in a position to correct your monstrous blunder! I advise you to bring him to identify me before the matter becomes more serious for you still. If you put us to public ignominy, apologies will not satisfy me when you discover your mistake. Here is your last chance to extricate yourself." He ruminated. "Enfin, I will send one of my men to inquire for him," he said grudgingly. "If it turns out that this 'monsieur Manesse' is unknown, I warn you that you will suffer for your game." The room was about forty feet from the ground--I saw him attentively considering whether, in his absence, we were likely to walk out of the window. He marched into the corridor and gave a whistle. I heard two voices before he came in again. Uninvited, he sat, clasping his knees. None of us spoke any more. The lamp having still made no appearance, I lit the candles. I do not forget that long half-hour in Les Myosotis. The yokel himself grew restless at last--he rose and went into the corridor again. "Hark," exclaimed Beauregard suddenly, "the man has come back. Can you hear Manesse? Listen." "I cannot distinguish," I murmured, straining my ears to the door. Some minutes passed. To our dismay, our oppressor re-entered alone. Perplexity darkened his brow. He hesitated before he broke the suspensive hush. "Monsieur Manesse agrees that this afternoon he met monsieur Panage," he announced. "_But_"--he raised a forensic forefinger--"that does not establish that either of _you_ is monsieur Panage. Monsieur Manesse is occupied in telling a fairy tale to his little daughter and cannot spare the time to come here to identify you. Enfin, you will accompany me to the commissaire de police, and you will obtain the evidence in due course."