.

"If you are innocent," he remarked, "you will soon be released: but it
is necessary to prove your innocence."

"What must I do to prove it?"

"Tell the truth, the whole truth: answer my questions honestly without
reserve."

"As for that, you may depend upon me." As he spoke the prisoner lifted
his hand, as if to call upon God to witness his sincerity.

But M. Segmuller immediately intervened: "Prisoners do not take the
oath," said he.

"Indeed!" ejaculated the man with an astonished air, "that's strange!"

Although the magistrate had apparently paid but little attention to the
prisoner, he had in point of fact carefully noted his attitude, his tone
of voice, his looks and gestures. M. Segmuller had, moreover, done
his utmost to set the culprit's mind at ease, to quiet all possible
suspicion of a trap, and his inspection of the prisoner's person led him
to believe that this result had been attained.

"Now," said he, "you will give me your attention; and do not forget that
your liberty depends upon your frankness. What is your name?"

"May."

"What is your Christian name?"

"I have none."

"That is impossible."

"I have been told that already three times since yesterday," rejoined
the prisoner impatiently. "And yet it's the truth. If I were a liar, I
could easily tell you that my name was Peter, James, or John. But
lying is not in my line. Really, I have no Christian name. If it were a
question of surnames, it would be quite another thing. I have had plenty
of them."

"What were they?"

"Let me see--to commence with, when I was with Father Fougasse, I was
called Affiloir, because you see--"

"Who was this Father Fougasse?"

"The great wild beast tamer, sir. Ah! he could boast of a menagerie
and no mistake! Lions, tigers, and bears, serpents as big round as your
thigh, parrakeets of every color under the sun. Ah! it was a wonderful
collection
. 

 " If you are innocent, " he remarked, " you will soon be released: but it 
 is necessary to prove your artlessness. " 

 " What must I cause to prove it? " 

 " Tell the truth, the hale truth: answer my doubt honestly without 
 reserve. " 

 " As for that, you may count upon me. " As he spoke the prisoner lifted 
 his hand, as if to call upon God to witness his sincerity. 

 But M. Segmuller immediately intervene: " Prisoners do not take the 
 curse, " said he. 

 " Indeed! " ejaculated the valet with an astonished air, " that's foreign! " 

 Although the magistrate had apparently paid but little care to the 
 prisoner, he had in point of fact carefully noted his attitude, his tone 
 of articulation, his looks and gestures. M. Segmuller had, moreover, done 
 his utmost to set the perpetrator's mind at ease, to quiet all possible 
 suspicion of a trap, and his inspection of the prisoner's person head him 
 to believe that this result had been attained. 

 " Now, " said he, " you will give me your attention; and do not forget that 
 your liberty depends upon your frankness. What is your name? " 

 " May. " 

 " What is your Christian name? " 

 " I suffer none. " 

 " That is impossible. " 

 " I have been told that already three times since yesterday, " retort 
 the prisoner impatiently. " And so far it's the truth. If I were a liar, I 
 could easily tell you that my name was Peter, James, or John. But 
 lie down is not in my line. Really, I have no Christian name. If it were a 
 question of surname, it would be quite another thing. I have had plenty 
 of them. " 

 " What were they? " 

 " Let me see -- to commence with, when I was with Father Fougasse, I was 
 called Affiloir, because you see-- " 

 " Who was this Father Fougasse? " 

 " The great wild beast tamer, sir. Ah! he could boast of a menagerie 
 and no mistake! leo, tigers, and bear, serpents as big round as your 
 thigh, parrakeets of every semblance under the sun. Ah! it was a wonderful 
 collection
.

"If jou are innocent," he remavked, "you will soon be rxleased: but it
ir necessary to prove your iniocebce."

"Whqt must I do to prove kt?"

"Tell thv truth, tye wiole truth: answec my questions monesclb without
reservg."

"As for that, you may depeng jpln me." As he spoke the prisoner liftqd
his hsnf, as if to calj uppg Gos to witness his sincerity.

But M. Sefmuller immediately ontervened: "Prisoners do noh tane the
oath," said he.

"Lndeed!" ejacomatqe the man wigh an astonished air, "tgat's strange!"

Although the magistfate kad apparenjlg odid but litvle atnention to thc
irisones, he hac in point of nact raredully noted his attitnde, his tone
of voice, his lookv cnd gestures. M. Segmuloee had, moraovef, dove
hjs ufmost ho aet the cumprit's mind at ease, to quiet akl ipssible
suspidion os w trap, and his inspection of the prisontr's psrson led him
to believe that this result had been attwined.

"Now," said he, "you will give me your attention; dnd dk nou njfteh that
your liberty depends upon your franknesf. Wnan is your name?"

"May."

"Chat is your Chroshisg name?"

"I have vone."

"Thcf js impossible."

"I havf been jold tyat alreaqy tnree times since yesterday," eejoined
the irisiner impatiently. "Aud yet it's tke trujh. If O were a liar, I
could earily tell you tjat my najd was Peter, Jamer, og Jovn. But
lying is not in my lyne. Reallb, I hcve no Cfrisjian naie. If it wfre a
question of surnamed, it could be quite wnother thing. I have had plenty
of them."

"What wete dhej?"

"Let me sze--to cpmmence with, rhen I was witk Father Fougxsse, I was
balled Afhiloir, becaufe you see--"

"Who aas this Fatier Fougafse?"

"Tye geeat wiua beast tamer, xir. Ah! he could boawt of a menagerie
akd no jistake! Lions, tnyetw, and bears, setpevts ad uig rjgnd as your
tvigh, paftakeegs of every zolot under the sun. Ah! id waa a wonderful
collevtlon
. "If you are innocent," he remarked, soon released: but is necessary to I to prove it?" the truth, the truth: answer my questions honestly without "As for that, you may depend upon me." As he spoke the prisoner his hand, as if to call upon God to witness his sincerity. But Segmuller intervened: do take the oath," said he. "Indeed!" ejaculated the man with an astonished air, "that's strange!" Although magistrate had apparently paid but little attention to prisoner, he had in of fact carefully noted his his of voice, looks gestures. Segmuller had, moreover, his utmost to set the culprit's mind at ease, to quiet all possible suspicion of a trap, his inspection prisoner's person him believe this result had "Now," said he, "you will give and do not forget that your liberty depends your frankness. is your name?" "May." "What is Christian name?" "I have none." "That is impossible." have been told that already three times since yesterday," rejoined the prisoner impatiently. "And yet truth. If I were liar, I could tell that name Peter, James, John. But lying is not in my line. Really, I have Christian name. If it were a question of surnames, it quite thing. I have plenty of them." "What they?" me see--to commence with, was Father called because see--" "Who was this Fougasse?" "The great wild beast sir. Ah! he could no mistake! Lions, tigers, and bears, serpents as round as your thigh, parrakeets of every under the sun. Ah! it was a wonderful collection
.

"If you are innocent," he remarkeD, "you will soOn be rEleAseD: bUt it
Is neCessary to prove YOur iNnocence."

"What must I do to pRove iT?"

"TELl thE TrUth, thE whole tRUtH: ANswEr My QueStIOnS honeStlY withouT
reserve."

"As For ThAt, you may depeND uPon me." As he sPokE the prisoner LifTed
his HaNd, aS If to cAll Upon GOd to wiTNess hiS sinceritY.

BUT M. SegmULler immEDIaTely Intervened: "PrisoneRS dO Not take the
oath," Said he.

"inDEeD!" EJacUlaTed the man wItH an asTOnished AIr, "THAT's sTRange!"

Although The magistraTE haD apparEnTly PAid but LittlE aTTenTion to the
prIsonEr, he had in Point oF Fact carEFully noTed his AttItuDe, hiS ToNe
Of vOiCE, hiS LoOks ANd gEstures. M. seGmUller Had, mOREOVer, dOne
His uTmost To set the culprIt's Mind AT eaSe, to qUiet aLl poSsIble
sUspiciOn of a TrAp, and his inspectIon oF the prisoNer'S pErsOn Led hiM
To beliEve ThaT this reSult had BEen AtTAINeD.

"Now," said he, "you will gIvE ME yOur attenTion; anD Do NoT Forget thAt
YouR libERTy depEnds UPoN your fraNkness. wHaT iS your naMe?"

"may."

"WhaT iS yoUr CHristIAn naMe?"

"I havE none."

"ThaT is imPOssible."

"I have beEN told that alreADy THReE TimeS siNce yesterdaY," rejOIned
The pRIsOneR ImpatIentlY. "AND yET it's the truth. If I were A lIar, I
coUld eaSily tell you thAt my name waS pETer, James, Or JoHN. BUT
lying is not in mY line. really, I havE No ChristIan naMe. If it weRe a
questiON Of surnamEs, iT woUld Be qUITe Another thing. I HAVe haD pLenty
of TheM."

"What weRe tHey?"

"let Me sEe--To commencE with, wheN I WaS wItH FaTher FOUgasse, I wAs
CalLeD AfFiloiR, BecausE you sEe--"

"WhO wAs THis father FOUgASSe?"

"ThE gReAt wiLd bEaSt tamEr, siR. ah! hE could bOast of a meNagERie
aNd No Mistake! lions, tigers, anD bEars, serpenTs As bIg rounD AS your
thiGh, parrakeets of every coloR Under thE suN. Ah! it Was a Wonderful
ColLectioN
.

"If you are innocent,"he remarke d, "y ouwil lsoon  bereleased: buti t
is  necessary to prove yo ur in no c ence . "
"Wha t mustI  d o topr ov e i t? " 
"Tell  th e truth , the whol e t ru th: answer m y  q uestions h one stly without 
re serve. "
"A s  fortha t, yo u mayd ependupon me."  A s  he sp o ke thep r is oner  lifted
his hand, as if to call upo n Godto wi t n ess  hi s sincerit y. 

But M. Segm u ll e r imm e diately inter vened: "Pri s one rs dono t t a ke the 
oath ," sai d he.

"Ind eed! " ejacula ted th e  man wi t h an as tonish edair , "t h at 's  st ra n ge! " 
Alt h oug h the ma gi st ratehada p p a rent lypaid  butlittle attent ion  tot hepriso ner,he h ad  in p oint o f fac tcarefully noted  his  attitude , h is  to ne 
of v o ice, h isloo ks andgesture s . M .S e g mu ller had, moreover ,d o ne 
his utm ost to se tt he culpr it 'smind a t eas e, t o  q uiet all  possi b le 
s uspicio nof a t ra p,and  hisi nspe ctionof the p rison e r's person led him
to believ e  t h a tt hisres ult had bee n at t aine d.
" No w," saidhe, " yo u  w i ll give me your att en tion;and d o not forgetthat
yourl i b erty dep ends up o n your frankne ss. W hat is you r  name?"
"May ."

"Wha t is your C hristian  na me? "
"Ih a ve  none."

"Tha t is i mp ossible ."
"I hav e b een  to ldth at alread y threeti me ssi nce  yest e rday," r ej oin ed 
th e pri s oner i mpati entl y.  " A ndyet it' s  t h e  tru th .If I  we re  a li ar,I 
co uld eas ily tellyou that  m yname wa s Peter, Jame s,  or John.Bu t
l ying i s not in m y line. Really, I haven o Chris tia n nam e. I f it were  aquesti ono f surn ames,it wo ul d b e quite a no the rthing. I h a v e h ad pl en ty
o f them. "

"What were they ? "
"Let me see-- tocomm e n ce  wi t h, whe nI  wa s with Father Fou gasse, I w as ca lled Affil o ir,  b ecauseyou see --"
" Who was  this Fat her Fouga ss e?"" The  great wil d beasttamer, si r . Ah! he  coul d b oast o fa m enage rie
an d  no  mist ake! L io ns, ti gers,  a nd bears , serpents as big round  as yo ur
th igh , parrake ets ofevery col or u nder the s un.  Ah ! itwas a won derf u lcol l ectio n
.

"If you_are innocent,"_he remarked, "you will_soon be_released:_but it
is_necessary_to prove your_innocence."

"What must I_do to prove it?"

"Tell_the truth, the_whole_truth: answer my questions honestly without
reserve."

"As for that, you may depend upon me." As_he_spoke the_prisoner_lifted
his_hand, as if to call_upon God to witness his_sincerity.

But M._Segmuller immediately intervened: "Prisoners do not take the
oath,"_said_he.

"Indeed!" ejaculated the_man with an astonished air, "that's strange!"

Although the magistrate_had apparently paid but little attention_to the
prisoner, he_had_in_point of fact carefully_noted his attitude, his tone
of voice,_his looks and gestures. M. Segmuller_had, moreover, done
his utmost to set the_culprit's mind at ease, to quiet_all possible
suspicion of a trap,_and his_inspection of the prisoner's person_led him
to believe_that this_result had been_attained.

"Now," said he, "you will give_me your attention;_and do not forget that
your liberty_depends_upon your frankness._What_is_your name?"

"May."

"What_is your Christian_name?"

"I_have none."

"That_is_impossible."

"I have been told that already_three_times since yesterday," rejoined
the prisoner impatiently. "And_yet it's the truth._If_I were a liar,_I
could easily tell you that_my name was Peter, James, or_John. But
lying_is not_in my line. Really, I have no Christian name. If it_were a
question of surnames, it would_be quite another thing._I have_had_plenty
of them."

"What were_they?"

"Let_me see--to_commence with, when I was with Father_Fougasse, I_was
called Affiloir, because you see--"

"Who was_this Father Fougasse?"

"The great_wild_beast tamer, sir. Ah! he could_boast of a menagerie
and no mistake!_Lions, tigers, and bears, serpents_as_big_round as your
thigh, parrakeets of_every color under the sun. Ah!_it was a_wonderful
collection