"When was that?" asked Gaillard as he filled the glasses again.
"That was when the Count de Beaujeu's house was sacked, and the citizens threw all the contents of his wine cellar into the street."
"You did not drink a glass that time," remarked the stout gendarme, "you had a hogshead."
The tall man scowled.
"Well, there's plenty of this," said Gaillard; "have another glass?"
"We will," said both of the gendarmes. "Let us have a few of the funny lines of your new part, citizen actor," said the stout gendarme swallowing his third glass of Burgundy.
"Willingly!" exclaimed Gaillard. He turned toward the chimney-piece and took from it the manuscript of his part. Close beside it lay the letter. His fingers itched to take it, but the eyes of the police officers were upon him so closely that he dared not touch it.
"Let us fill our glasses again before I begin," said the actor, producing another bottle from the closet.
"How many bottles of that wine have you?" inquired the tall gendarme.
"Two more besides this," answered Gaillard, drawing the cork.