“Donotwonder，therefore，citizen，“hesaid，“ifyouseemecomeback，by-and-by，withahorse——withthisdistinction，thatitwillnotbethehorsethatcarriesme，butthatitwillbeIthatwillcarrythehorse。IwassuchafoolastopromiselittleCapetahorse，andImustkeepmyword，particularlyastheCommitteeofSafetyallowsit。“
“Well，ifthatisso，“saidtheporter，withmockgravity，“Ishallletyouin，evenifyoudonotmakeyourappearanceuntilnight。
WiththepermissionoftheSafetyCommittee，everything；withoutit，nothing——forIwanttokeepmyheadalittlelongeronmyshoulders。“
“AndIdonotgrudgeyoutheprivilege，“saidSimon，withabroadgrin。“Weknowverylittleaboutwhatwehavehere，butmuchlessabouttheplacewherethedearmachinetakesus。But，ifyoulike，youcanaskRoger，theofficialguard，whetherIhavepermissiontobringthewoodenhorseintotheTemple。Heisinside，andwillprobablybetherewhenIcomeback。“
Henoddedtotheporter，andwentoutintothestreet。Asthedoorclosedbehindhim，Simonstoppedamoment，andcastaquickglanceupanddownthestreet。Above，atthecornerofthelittlecross-
street，stoodquietlyayoungcommissionerinhisblouse，apparentlywaitingforsomeonetoemployhim。Simoncrossedthestreetandwentuptohim。
“Well，“askedthelatteraloud，“haveyouanythingformetodo，citizen？“
“Yes，“answeredSimon，softlyandquickly。“Yes，Toulan，Iamallreadyforyou。To-morrowmorning，atteno’clock，IleavetheTemple。“
“Iknowit，“whisperedToulan。“Butspeakloudly。Therestandsamanwhoseemstobewatchingus。“
“Come，“criedSimon，loudly。“Iwantyoutoaccompanymetoastorewheretheysellplaythings，andafterwardyoumusthelpcarrybackwhatIbuy，foritwillbetoolargeandtooheavyformealone。“
Toulanfollowedhimwithoutreplying，andthetwowentquietlyandwithanairofindifferencethroughthebusycrowdofmen。Atthecornerofaneighboringstreetthecommissionercameingentlecontactwithanother，whowasstandingonthecurbstone，andwaslookingearnestlydownthestreet。
“Begpardon，citizen，“saidToulan，loudly，andthenadded，softly，“to-morrowmorning，atteno’clock。Thewasherwomenwilltakechargeofthedirtylinenatthedoor。Atexactlytenthewagonsandtheboysmuststart。Thehobby-horsewillbefilled。“
“Yes，itshallbefilled，“and，withanindifferentair，hepassedbythetwo，andwalkeddowntheHelderstreet。Thefartherhewentthemorerapidbecamehissteps，andwhenheatlastenteredanarrow，solitaryalley，wherehemighthopetobelessobserved，hisquickwalkbecamearun，whichhecontinuedtillhereachedtheRueVivienne。Hethenmoderatedhispace，andwentquietlyintoatoy-
shop，whoseattractivewindowsandopendoorweredirectedtothestreet。Theclerk，whostoodbehindthecounter，asked，withaquietair，whathedesired。
“First，allowmetositdown，citizen，“answeredthecommissioner，ashesankupontherush-chairwhichstoodbeforethecounter。
“There，andnow，ifyouwanttodomeaservice，justgivemeaglassofwater。“
“Halloo，John，“criedtheclerktotheerrand-boy，whowasstandinginthehackpartofthestore。“Bringaglassofwaterfromthewell!Hasten!“
Theboytookaglassandsprangoutofthedoorintothestreet。
“Inaquarterofanhourtheywillbehere，“saidthecommissioner，quickly。“Informthemarquis，ifyouplease。“
“Thecabinet-maker，Lamber，youmean，“whisperedtheclerk。“Heisnotasfarawayasyou；helivesdirectlyopposite，andhehasbeenstandingalldayatthehouse-doorwaitingforthesign。“
“Thengiveittohim，dearbaron，“saidthecommissioner；andastheboycameinjustthenwiththewater，hehastilyseizedtheglass，andtookaswallowsoimmenseastoperfectlysatisfytheboy，whowaslookingathim。
Theclerkhad，inthemeantime，gonetotheshop-door，andlookingacrossattheoppositehouse，hedrewabluehandkerchief，witharedborder，fromhispocket，andslowlyraisedittohisface。
Themanintheblouse，standingatthedoorofthelowhouseacrossthestreet，noddedslightly，andsteppedbackoutofsight。
“Well，“criedthecommissioner，“nowthatIhavetakenbreath，andhavehadagooddrink，IwilltellyouwhyIhaverunso。Ihavedirectedacitizentoyouwhowantstobuysomeplaythings，andsomethingveryfine，Isuppose，ashebringsacommissioneralongwithhimtocarrythethingshome。NowIwanttoknowwhatpercent，oftheprofityougetfromhimyouarewillingtogiveme，foryoucannotexpect，citizen，thatIshouldgivemyrecommendationgratis。“
“Iamnottheownerofthestore，“repliedtheclerk，withashrug。
“Ihavebeenhereonlyaweek，andmanagethebusinessmerelywhiletheownerisabsentforashorttimeonanecessaryjourney。SoI
cangivenofees。ButasktheboywhetherinsuchcasesMr。Duvalhaspaidmoney。HehasbeenherelongerthanI。“
“Mr。Duvalhaspaideverycommissioner，whohasbroughthimsuchnews，twocentumsonthefranc，“saidtheboy，withanimportantair。
“Well，then，Iwillgiveyoutwocentumsonthefranc，providedthatthecitizenbuysmorethanafranc’sworth。“
“Aha!therecomestheman，“criedthecommissioner，pointingatSimon，whojustthenenteredthestorewithToulan。“Well，citizen，nowmakeaveryhandsomepurchase，forthemoreyoubuy，thebetterIshalllikeit。“
“Yes，Ibelieveyou，“repliedSimon，laughing；“thatisthewayinallstores。Iwantsomethingnice；Iwanttobuyahobby-horse。Butmindyou，citizen，showmeoneofyourbestones，arealblood-
horse，forItellyouthathewhoistorideitisofrealbloodhimself。“
“Wehappenunfortunatelytohavealimitedsupplyofthearticle，“
saidtheclerk，withashrug。“Theydonotcomeexactlyinourline。
Buttherehasbeensomuchdemandforhobby-horsesoflatethatwehaveorderedsome，andifyouwillwaitafewdays，citizen——“
“Afewdays!“interruptedSimon，angrily。“Notafewhours，notafewminuteswillIwait。Ifyouhavenohobby-horses，tellme，andI
willgoelsewheretomakemypurchases。“
Heturnedtogo，buttheclerkheldhimback。“Waitonlyaminute，“
hesaid。“Ishouldnotliketoloseyourcustom，andIthinkitpossiblethatIcanprocureyouafinehorse。Thecabinet-maker，whomakesourhorses，livesjustopposite，andhehaspromisedtodeliverthemtomorrow。Theboyshallgooverandseeiftheyarenotready。“
“Wewouldrathergooverwithhim，citizen。Ifwefindwhatiswanted，weshallneedtogonofarther。“
“Itistrue，thatwillbethebestcourse，“saidSimon。“Come，commissioner。“
“Iwillgoalongtohavethebusinessallrightlydone，“saidtheclerk。“Here，John，takemyplacebehindthecounterwhileIamgone。“
SimonhadalreadycrossedthestreetbythesideofToulan。Theclerkfollowedwiththesecondcommissioner。
“Whyhaveyounotgotridoftheboy，CountSt。Prix？“askedthelatter。
“Itwasimpossible，CountFrotte“answeredtheformerinawhisper。
“Duvalisaverynervousman，andhesupposedthatitwouldexcitesuspicioniftheboy，whoiswellknownintheneighborhood，shoulddisappearatjustthetimewhenheshouldbeaway。Heisright，perhaps，andatanyratethethingisunavoidable。Theslychore-boyhasnoticednothing，Ihope，andweshallreachourgoalwithoutanyhindrance。YouaregoingtoLondontomorrowmorning？“
“Yes，count。Andyou？whatisyourdirection？“
“ToCoblentz，totheroyalprinces，“repliedCountSt。Prix。“OnlyI
suspectthatweshallnotbothofusreachtheendofourjourneys。“
“Atanyratenotwiththechildrenthatweshalltakewithus，“
whisperedtheother，astheyenteredthehouseofthecabinet-maker。
TheyfoundSimonandToulaninthelargeworkshopbusilyengagedinbargainingwiththecabinet-maker，whohadshownthemsixtolerablylargehobby-horses，andwasdescantingontheirbeauties。
“Itseemstometheyalllookverymuchalike，“saidSimon。“Tellme，commissioner，whichoftheserace-horsespleasesyoubest。“
“Thiswiththeredflanks，“saidToulan，layinghishanduponthelargestone。
“Itisanimmensecreature，“saidSimon，withalaugh。“Still，theredflanksarepretty，andifwecanagreeaboutthepriceIwillbuytheanimal。“
Theydidagree，andafterSimonhadgravelypaidthetwentyfrancs，heandToulantookthehorseontheirshouldersandmarcheddownthestreet。
“Doallthosepeopleknowaboutoursecret？“askedSimon，astheystrodeforward。
“No，onlythecabinet-makerknowsaboutit，andhewillleaveParisto-morrowandcarrytheprincetoaplaceofsafety。“
“ForGod’ssake，donotspeaksoloudly!“whisperedSimon，castingananxiouslookaround。“ButwhydoyouyourselfnotgoawaywiththeboyandleaveParis，whereyouareconstantlyindanger？“
“Icannot，“answeredToulan，solemnly。