"Hullo, Fandor! Are you reporting the official fêtes nowadays?"
"You, Bonnet? What a jolly surprise! I have heard nothing of you for ages. How goes it?"
"My dear fellow, good luck has come my way at last!... I am police magistrate at Châlons! There's news for you!"
"By Jove, Bonnet! That is good hearing! You arrive here in the very nick of time!"
"Old Bonnet at Châlons and police magistrate!" thought Fandor. "What a bit of luck for me!"
"I want to ask the police magistrate of Châlons most interesting things," said Fandor, smiling at his friend.
"Information for a report?" queried Bonnet.
"Just so."
Fandor drew his "old Bonnet" away from the crowd of eyes and ears around them. They came on an empty little smoking-room. The very place!
"Now tell me, my dear Bonnet, have you not been engaged on a recent case—the death of a little singer, called."...