Industrial Chemistry 



one to make. It is labour lost : he gives but a 

 heedless glance at my sheets and flings each on 

 the table as I hand it to him. 



'Alas!' said I to myself. 'There is a storm 

 brewing; the cycloid won't save you; it's your 

 turn for a bite from the Crocodile !' 



Not a bit of it. Behold the bugbear grow- 

 ing genial. He sits down on a bench, with one 

 leg here, another there, invites me to take a 

 seat by his side and, in a moment, we are dis- 

 cussing graphics. Then, bluntly : 



'Have you any money?' he asks. 



Astounded at this strange question, I an- 

 swer with a smile. 



'Don't be afraid,' he says. 'Confide in me. 

 I'm asking you in your own interest. Have 

 you any capital?' 



'I have no reason to be ashamed of my 

 poverty, monsieur l'inspecteur general. I 

 frankly admit, I possess nothing; my means 

 are limited to my modest salary.' 



A frown greets my answer; and I hear, 

 spoken in an undertone, as though my con- 

 fessor were talking to himself: 



'That's sad, that's really very sad.' 



Astonished to find my penury treated as sad, 

 I ask for an explanation : I was not accustomed 

 to this solicitude on the part of my superiors. 



451 



