With his eyes he sought for the moral support of Fandor, whose presence he suddenly remembered. But our journalist, taking advantage of the momentary confusion, had quietly slipped from the room.
Evidently some unpleasant occurrence had upset the routine existence of the functionaries at the Dépôt. The warders were coming and going, talking among themselves, leaning against the doors of the numerous cells. The chief warder called one of his men:
"There must be no more of this disorder, Nibet!"
The chief warder was furious: he was about to hold forth to his subordinate, when an inspector approached.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Sergeant, it is Monsieur Jouet. He has a gentleman with him. He has a permit. Should I allow him to enter?"
"Who? Monsieur Jouet?"
"No, the gentleman accompanying him!"
"Hang it all! Why, yes—if he has a permit!"
The sergeant moved away shrugging his shoulders disgustedly.