"The Skeleton is here!" said Cardillac, pointing out the provost, who had
just appeared at the door, to his companion.
"Cadet, advance at the call!" said Skeleton to the Cripple.
"Here!" he answered, advancing into the hall, accompanied by Frank, whom he
took by the arm. During the conversation of Cripple, Frank and Cardillac,
Barbillon had gone, by orders of the provost, to recruit twelve or fifteen
prisoners, picked men. These, not to excite the suspicions of the keeper,
had gone separately to the hall. The other prisoners remained in the yard;
some of them, following the instructions of Barbillon, spoke in a loud,
quarrelsome tone, to attract the notice of the keeper, and thus call his
attention away from the hall, where were soon assembled Barbillon,
Nicholas, Frank, Cardillac, Big Cripple, the Skeleton, and some fifteen
other prisoners, all waiting with impatient curiosity until the provost
should take the chair. Barbillon, charged as spy to announce the approach
of the superintendent, placed himself near the door. The Skeleton, taking
his pipe from his mouth, said to the Big Cripple:
"Do you know a young man named Germain, with blue eyes, brown hair, and the
air of a swell cove?"
"Germain here!" cried Cripple, whose features expressed at once surprise,
hatred, anger.
"You do know him, then?"
"Don't I know him? My friend, I denounce him, he is a betrayer! he must be
rolled up!"
"Yes, yes!" said the prisoners together.
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