"Stay, stay; I recollect now that there were indeed, just beside me, some gentlemen; I cannot say whether three or four, but I know they had a bowl of punch."
"And they used most horrible language regarding the First Consul," added the chief of division with anger; "they even went so far as to threaten his life!"
"As for that, I am completely uninformed on the subject, inasmuch as, having observed two or three times that these gentlemen lowered their voices when I turned my head towards them, I moved off to a table farther from them. I did not wish to have even the appearance of listening to them, you understand."
"By my faith, this is too bad!" exclaimed Desmarest. "What occupation do you think that you have at the ministry of police?"
"Ah!" said the pastor, quickly, "that is exactly what I have been desiring to know during the last fifteen days."
"Eh, zounds! you are a spy for the police!"
"A mouchard?"
"A mouchard!"
The pastor bounded from his seat, his cheeks flushed, his lips quivering. "Monsieur!—But it is not to you that I have to speak," said he, hastily rushing from the apartment.