"By doing your duty," said Ratoneau, with a grin.
The Prefect shrugged his shoulders slightly, raised his eyebrows and looked at him.
"I ought not," he said, "to need the additional inducement of doing you a favour. I was not aware of having neglected any duty. To what, pray, do you refer?"
"I refer to an order from the Emperor which you have not obeyed."
"Indeed?"
The Prefect's smile had now quite faded. "An order from the Emperor!" he repeated.
"Yes. His Majesty ordered you to report to him the names and particulars of all young girls of good family in the department."
"And what of that, monsieur?"
"I am quite sure you have not done so."
Something in the General's tone was so displeasing to one of the Prefect's little dogs, that it suddenly sprang up and snapped at him. Its master just saved it from a kick by catching it up on his knee.