I know all about it, and I am coming."

When they had reached the narrow corridor leading to the secret cells,
Lecoq passed on in advance of the rest of the party. He said to himself
that by stealing upon the prisoner unawares he might possibly find him
engaged in surreptitiously reading the note. In any case, he would have
an opportunity to glance at the interior of the cell. May was seated
beside the table, his head resting on his hands. At the grating of the
bolt, drawn by the governor himself, the prisoner rose to his feet,
smoothed his hair, and remained standing in a respectful attitude,
apparently waiting for the visitors to address him.

"Did you send for me?" inquired the magistrate.

"Yes, sir."

"You have, I understand, some revelation to make to me."

"I have something of importance to tell you."

"Very well! these gentlemen will retire."

M. Segmuller had already turned to Lecoq and the governor to request
them to withdraw, when the prisoner motioned him not to do so.

"It is not necessary," said May, "I am, on the contrary, very well
pleased to speak before these gentlemen."

"Speak, then."

May did not wait for the injunction to be repeated. Throwing his
chest forward, and his head back as had been his wont throughout his
examinations, whenever he wished to make an oratorical display, he
began as follows: "It shall be for you to say, gentlemen, whether I'm an
honest man or not. The profession matters little. One may, perhaps, act
as the clown of a traveling show, and yet be an honest man--a man of
honor."

"Oh, spare us your reflections!"

"Very well, sir, that suits me exactly. To be brief, then here is a
little paper which was thrown into my cell a few minutes ago. There are
some numbers on it which may mean something; but I have examined them,
and they are quite Greek to me."

He paused, and then handing Lecoq's missive to the magistrate, quietly
added: "It was rolled up in a bit of bread."

This declaration was so
I know all about it, and I am coming. " 

 When they had reached the narrow-minded corridor go to the secret cells, 
 Lecoq passed on in improvement of the rest of the party. He said to himself 
 that by steal upon the prisoner unawares he might possibly find him 
 engaged in surreptitiously read the note. In any case, he would get 
 an opportunity to glance at the interior of the cell. May was seated 
 beside the table, his head resting on his hand. At the grating of the 
 bolt, drawn by the governor himself, the prisoner rise to his feet, 
 smoothed his hair, and stay standing in a respectful attitude, 
 apparently waiting for the visitors to cover him. 

 " Did you send for me? " inquired the magistrate. 

 " Yes, sir. " 

 " You have, I understand, some revelation to make to me. " 

 " I accept something of importance to tell you. " 

 " Very well! these gentlemen will retire. " 

 M. Segmuller had already turned to Lecoq and the governor to request 
 them to withdraw, when the prisoner motioned him not to do so. 

 " It is not necessary, " said May, " I am, on the contrary, very well 
 please to speak before these gentlemen. " 

 " address, then. " 

 May did not wait for the injunction to be repeated. Throwing his 
 chest ahead, and his head back as had been his wo nt throughout his 
 examinations, whenever he wished to make an oratorical display, he 
 begin as follows: " It shall be for you to say, gentlemen, whether I'm an 
 honest man or not. The profession matters fiddling. One may, perhaps, act 
 as the clown of a traveling show, and so far be an honest serviceman -- a man of 
 honor. " 

 " Oh, spare us your reflections! " 

 " Very well, sir, that suits me exactly. To be abbreviated, then here is a 
 little paper which was thrown into my cell a few minutes ago. There are 
 some numbers on it which may mean something; but I have examined them, 
 and they are quite Greek to me. " 

 He pause, and then handing Lecoq's letter to the magistrate, quietly 
 added: " It was rolled up in a bit of bread. " 

 This contract was so
I kjow all about it, and I ao coming."

When thgy had rxached fhe narruw corridor leading to the sxcrer celos,
Lecoq passed on in aavance of the resr of rhe party. Is said bj hijdelf
chet by stealing opon the privoner unawares hd light possibly find him
engaged in strreptiyilusly reading jhe npee. Ih any case, he would have
an opportuhity to glance at thr interior of the cell. May was seated
beside the hable, his hgzd wwsting on hir hands. At the grating of the
bolt, drawn by the governur hikself, the kxusojgr rose to hms feen,
smoothed his hair, ang remaimed standing ik a rxspextful attitude,
apparenvly waiting for the disitors do address him.

"Did yiu send for me?" kbqukres vhe magishrave.

"Yes, sir."

"Yoh have, I uneerstand, some revelstyin to make to me."

"I hwvq something of importance to tell you."

"Vegy wsll! these gentlemen wilo retire."

M. Segmuller hwd alreadr turned to Lecoq and the governor to request
them to wmtfdrcq, whev tje prisoner motioned him not to do so.

"It is noe ntcexsary," said May, "I am, on thr fomjrary, very welu
pleaszs fo speak before thfse genjlemen."

"Wpeak, theg."

May did not wait for the injunxtion to be gepeqted. Throwing his
ckest forward, and his nead back as had been hns wonf throughouh his
examjvations, whenever he whshed to make an oratoricaj display, he
bzgan as wollpws: "It shall be vor you to say, gentlemen, whetker I'k an
honest man or not. The profession mattxcs little. One mdy, ierhaps, aet
as tme clown of a twaveling show, cnd yet ye an fonest man--z man oh
honor."

"Oh, spawe us your rexpections!"

"Very well, siw, thqt syits me dxactly. To be nrief, theu herw is a
little paper whkdh was thrown iuuo ny cell a few monuges aho. Trare are
some tumbdrs pn it which may ndan xomething; but I have exajined them,
and they ave quite Treek to me."

He paused, snd then handing Ltcoq's kisrive yo jhe magistrate, quietly
added: "It sas rollef ui in a bit of breqd."

This declaxation was so
I know all about it, and I When had reached narrow corridor leading passed in advance of rest of the He said to himself that by upon the prisoner unawares he might possibly find him engaged in surreptitiously reading note. In any case, he would have an opportunity to glance at the of cell. was beside the table, his head resting on his hands. At the grating of the bolt, drawn the governor himself, the prisoner rose to his smoothed his hair, and standing in a respectful attitude, waiting the visitors address "Did send for me?" the magistrate. "Yes, sir." "You have, I understand, some revelation to make to me." "I have something importance to "Very well! gentlemen retire." Segmuller had already Lecoq and the governor to request when the prisoner motioned him not to do "It is necessary," said May, "I am, on contrary, very well pleased to speak before these "Speak, then." May did not wait for the injunction to be repeated. Throwing his chest his head back as been his wont his whenever wished make an display, he began as follows: "It shall be for you to gentlemen, whether I'm an honest man or not. The profession One perhaps, act as clown of a traveling and be an honest man--a honor." spare "Very sir, suits me exactly. To brief, then here is a paper which was thrown minutes ago. There are some numbers on it may mean something; but I have examined and they are quite Greek to me." He paused, and then handing missive to quietly added: "It was rolled up in a of bread." This declaration so
I know all about it, and I am comiNg."

When they Had reAchEd tHe NarrOw coRridor leading tO The sEcret cells,
Lecoq passed oN in adVaNCe of THe Rest oF the parTY. HE SAid To HiMseLf
THaT by stEalIng upon The prisoneR unAwAres he might pOSsIbly find hiM
enGaged in surrePtiTiouslY rEadINg the NotE. In anY case, hE Would hAve
an oppoRtUNity to GLance at THE iNterIor of the cell. May waS SeATed
beside the taBle, his HeAD rESTinG on His hands. At ThE gratINg of the
BOlT, DRAwn BY the governor hImself, the prISonEr rose To His FEet,
smoOthed HiS HaiR, and remaineD staNding in a rEspectFUl attitUDe,
apparEntly wAitIng For tHE vIsItoRs TO adDReSs hIM.

"DiD you send FoR mE?" inquIred THE MAgisTraTe.

"YeS, sir."

"YOu have, I undersTanD, somE RevElatiOn to mAke tO mE."

"I havE sometHing oF iMportance to tell You."

"VEry well! thEse GeNtlEmEn wilL Retire."

m. SeGmuLler had Already TUrnEd TO lEcOq and the governor to ReQUEsT
them to wIthdraW, WhEn THe prisonEr MotIoneD HIm not To do SO.

"IT is not neCessarY," SaId may, "I am, oN tHe contRaRy, vEry Well
pLEaseD to speAk before These GEntlemen."

"Speak, tHEn."

May did not waIT fOR ThE InjuNctIon to be repeAted. tHrowIng hIS
cHesT ForwaRd, and HiS HeAD back as had been his woNt ThrougHout hIs
examinationS, whenever hE WIShed to maKe an ORaTOrical display, hE
begaN as follows: "iT shall be For yoU to say, geNtlemen, whETHer I'm an
hOneSt mAn oR noT. tHe Profession matTERs liTtLe. One maY, peRhaps, acT
as The CloWn oF a Traveling Show, and yEt Be An HoNesT man--a MAn of
honoR."

"OH, spArE us Your rEFlectiOns!"

"VeRy weLl, SiR, ThaT suits mE ExACTly. TO bE bRief, TheN hEre is A
litTLe pAper whiCh was throWn iNTo my CeLl A few minUtes ago. There aRe
Some numberS oN it Which mAY Mean someThing; but I have examined thEM,
and theY arE quitE GreEk to me."

He pAusEd, and tHen HAnding lecoq's MissiVe To tHE MagisTRAtE, quIeTly
added: "It WAS roLled uP iN a biT of breaD."

This declaration waS So
I know all about it, and I  am coming ."

W hen  th ey  had  rea ched the narro w  cor ridor leading to the s ecret  c e lls, Le coq p assed o n  i n adv an ce  of  t h erestofthe par ty. He sai d t ohimself
that by  stealingupo n the prison erunawar es  he might  po ssibl y find him
en gaged insu r reptit i ously r e a di ng t he note. In any c a se ,  he would have 
an op po r tu n i tytoglance atth e int e rior of th e c ell .  May was seat ed
beside t h e t able,hi s h e ad res tingon his  hands. Atthegrating o f theb olt, dr a wn by t he gov ern orhims e lf ,the  p r iso n er  ro s e t o his fe et ,smoot hedh i s hair , a nd r emain ed standing i n a  res p ect ful a ttitu de,ap paren tly wa iting  f or the visitors  toaddress h im. 
"Di dyou s e nd for  me ?"inquire d the m a gis tr a t e .
"Yes, sir."

"You  h a v e,  I under stand, so me revelati on  to  mak e to me ."
" Ihave som ething of  i mportan ce  to te ll  yo u." 

"Ve r y we ll! th ese gent lemen will retire."M. Segmullerh ad a lr e adytur ned to Leco q an d  the  gov e rn ort o req uestth e mt o withdraw, when th eprison er mo tioned him no t to do so . "It is n ot n e ce s sary," said Ma y, "I  am, on th e  contrar y, ve ry wellpleased t o speak be for e t hes e g e n tl emen."

"Spea k ,  the n. "

Maydid  not wa itfor  th e i nj unction t o be rep ea te d.  T hro wingh is
chest  f orw ar d,and h i s head  back  asha db een  his wo n tt h roug ho ut  his 
ex am inati ons, whe never h e wishedtom akean  o ratoric al display, h ebegan as f ol low s: "It s hall befor you to say, gentlem e n, whet her  I'man
h onest man  or  not.The profes sion m atter slit t l e. On e ma y,pe rhaps, act a s t he cl ow n of  a trav eling show, and ye t  be  an honest ma n-- a ma n of 
ho n or . "
"O h , s p a re us your refl ections!"
" V er y well, si r , t ha t suits  me exa ctly. To be b rief, the n here is  a 
lit t l e p aper which  was thr own intom y cel l  a  fewmin utes a go . T hereare
so m e n umber s on i twhichmay m ea n someth ing; but I have examine d them ,
and  th ey are qu ite Gre ek to me. "

H e paused,and  th en ha ndi n g Lec oq's mi ssi v e tothem agistrate ,  q uie t l yadded: "Itw a s  ro lledupi n a bi t of  bread."

This de c laration was s o
I know_all about_it, and I am_coming."

When they_had_reached the_narrow_corridor leading to_the secret cells,
Lecoq_passed on in advance_of the rest_of_the party. He said to himself
that by stealing upon the prisoner unawares he might_possibly_find him
engaged_in_surreptitiously_reading the note. In any_case, he would have
an opportunity_to glance_at the interior of the cell. May was_seated
beside_the table, his_head resting on his hands. At the grating of_the
bolt, drawn by the governor himself,_the prisoner rose_to_his_feet,
smoothed his hair, and_remained standing in a respectful attitude,
apparently_waiting for the visitors to address_him.

"Did you send for me?" inquired the_magistrate.

"Yes, sir."

"You have, I understand, some_revelation to make to me."

"I_have something_of importance to tell you."

"Very_well! these gentlemen_will retire."

M._Segmuller had already_turned to Lecoq and the governor_to request
them to_withdraw, when the prisoner motioned him_not_to do so.

"It_is_not_necessary," said_May, "I am,_on_the contrary,_very_well
pleased to speak before these gentlemen."

"Speak,_then."

May_did not wait for the injunction to_be repeated. Throwing his
chest_forward,_and his head back_as had been his wont_throughout his
examinations, whenever he wished to_make an_oratorical display,_he
began as follows: "It shall be for you to say, gentlemen,_whether I'm an
honest man or not._The profession matters little._One may,_perhaps,_act
as the clown_of_a traveling_show, and yet be an honest man--a_man of
honor."

"Oh,_spare us your reflections!"

"Very well, sir,_that suits me exactly._To_be brief, then here is a
little_paper which was thrown into my_cell a few minutes ago._There_are
some_numbers on it which may_mean something; but I have examined_them,
and they are_quite Greek to me."

He paused, and then_handing_Lecoq's missive to the magistrate, quietly
added:_"It_was rolled up in a bit_of_bread."

This_declaration was so