POLICHINELLE.—De la Carrossière, I told you.
THE MAGISTRATE.—You can’t change your name as you do your trousers. First of all, you must have the right to.
POLICHINELLE—aside.—Where in the devil do they raise magistrates of this sort! Ah! I know; I must grease his paw.—Aloud.—Monsieur le commissaire, if I should offer you this gold five-franc piece to call me De la Carrossière——
THE MAGISTRATE.—What’s this! You try to corrupt an officer of the law! You are a rascal! a scoundrel! an impertinent fellow!
POLICHINELLE.—I won’t do it again, monsieur le commissaire.
THE MAGISTRATE.—Your wife and a ci and a ça!
POLICHINELLE.—A scie[D]; that may be, monsieur le commissaire; but as to a ça—I don’t believe a word of it.
[D] Slang for wife; pronounced like ci.
THE MAGISTRATE.—I have come to warn you concerning her disorderly life.
POLICHINELLE.—You needn’t have put yourself out for that, monsieur le commissaire.