M. Merivel threw open his hands and drew himself up.
"Nothing. M. the President!" he declared.
"Nothing?" questioned the judge with a frown.
"Nothing whatever!" M. Merivel assured him with much earnestness.
"Did you know Laroque?" was the next question.
"No, M. the President," was the prompt reply.
"Had you never seen him?"
"Never!" exclaimed the witness, without hesitation. Some one tittered and M. Perissard cursed his colleague heartily under his breath.
"You did not go to see him in his room at the Hotel of the Three Crowns on April 3d?"
"No, M. the President!" replied M. Merivel, with a solemn shake of the head. A ripple of laughter ran along the benches and M. Merivel began to perspire. His glance wavered before the President's stern eye.