"In the first place, I can buy things cheap.
Only try me."

"Ah! very well. Take these two five-franc
pieces, go to market, and bring me a couple of
fowls. I. shall see what sort of choice you
make."

The new comer promised to be soon back
again. In a very short time he returned, and
delivered to Vidocq a pair of irreproachable
pullets, as well as the cash he had received to
pay for them.

"Capital!" said the great man. "But how
did you manage?"

"In this way," answered Jacquin. "I
borrowed of one of my friends, who is an under-
cook, his linen smock, his cotton cap, and the
basket he slings over his back. My basket was
furnished with plenty of straw, and I half filled
it with stones to give it weight. I bought six
sous-worth of vegetables which I laid on the top.
Further on, I paid my court to a poultry-woman,
bargained for my fowls, and paid her the money.
The basket being heavy, I kept it on my back.
I was not going to have the trouble of taking
it off, to put a couple of fowls into it; so I
begged the good woman to pack the goods
herself inside my wicker receptacle. Cooks and
poulterers cannot help giving each other a hand's
turn now and then. I stood facing her, as was
the lady's due, and stooped a little. Her two
hands were employed over my head, while mine
were at work in her great front pocket. It
certainly is a funny fashion of theirs to carry
their till in front of their stomach! I easily
got my own money back, besides this thirty
francs-worth of loose silver."

"Do you often make a haul like that?"

"One does one's best," the other replied.

"A modest answer. 'Twas not a bad trick.
To-morrow I'll find you some employment. Be
off, and don't get caught between this and then.
By-the-by, how often have you been in prison?"

"Never. I can't say that I have any
experience in that line. I have managed hitherto to
keep out of scrapes. Further, I don't pretend
to say."

Jacquin went about his business. While he
was explaining to Vidocq the way in which he
had picked the poultry-woman's pocket, he had
been very demonstrative in gesticulations. He
had suited the action to the word, stooping and
going down on one knee, to represent the scene
more vividly. With all deference he had once
or twice touched his catechiser, and he
contrived to rob Vidocq of a handsome gold watch
with heavy appendages. Jacquin (supposing
that to be his real name, which is scarcely
probable) never made his second appearance.
Vidocq, whose rage and wounded vanity were
excited beyond expression, moved heaven and
earth to find out the clever thief; but they never
traced either watch or Jacquin. Many years
after the event, neither agent nor "indicator"
dare pronounce Jacquin's name in Vidocq's
presence.

In 1827, Vidocq left the Brigade of Surety
with a considerable sum, which was not saved
out of his salary. A préfectoral decree, of the
15th of November, 1832, dissolved the brigade.
A second decree of the same date, reconstituted
it on a different basis. The third article enacted
that no individual on whom sentence had been
passed, even for the most trifling offence, could
belong to the service. The measure was salutary;
but there was one result to be apprehended.
Vidocq's agents, suddenly deprived of
the means of existence, might take to their
former line of life; and it was indispensable,
at any price, to prevent these scarcely half-
reformed men from resuming a course of
crime. It was therefore decided that they should
retain the title of indicators, and should be
allowed a room of their own to meet in; and
that, besides a salary of two pounds a month,
they should receive a gratuity for every criminal
they caused to be arrested. Fourteen only of
the body accepted these terms.

M. Canler classes the thieves of Paris into
twelve different categories, of which the upper
half-dozen (they are not numerous, M. Canler
never knew more than twenty), called la haute
pégre—condescend to rob not more than
twice or thrice a year. But their labours are
always very productive. Their favours are
confined to jewellers' shops, money-changers,
the offices of legal gentlemen, and the apartments
of wealthy persons. A member of la haute
pégre is an elegant young man of distinguished
manners and fascinating conversation. He is
at ease in the best society, conducting
himself with dignity and grace. With inexhaustible
patience and untiring perseverance, which would
be admirable if exercised in an honest cause, he
lays out for an affair, months beforehand. He
meditates, studies, and ripens his plan. He
admits of no confederate, and never attempts
to commit his robbery until he is certain of
security and success. These Corinthians,
therefore, often enjoy a long career before they
get finally sent to the galleys. One famous
fellow, Piednoir (Blackfoot), never put his hand
at all to the twenty years' hard labour to which
he was twice sentenced during his regretted
absence from the court of justice.

The sixth category consists of scionneurs or
escarpes, who, with violence and sometimes
murder, rob any well-dressed person whom they
meet in the public thoroughfares after midnight.
Hiding behind a corner or under a doorway,
they spring out upon their victim. These
night-hounds always hunt in couples. One
seizes the passenger by the throat, closing his
mouth with his hand, while the other strips him
of his valuables and sometimes of his clothes.
This done, the robbers disappear, leaving the
plundered man half-strangled on the pavement.
On the bank of a canal, matters are still more
serious. The escarpes bide behind trees, heaps
of stones, or piles of timber. At the approach
of the first respectable-looking individual, one
escarpe accosts him, under pretence of asking
the time, or his way; the other passes a twisted
handkerchief round his neck, and so contrives
to hang him over his (the highwayman's) own