For picklocks the
Prior of Paray professed a keen curiosity; but Tabary, upon
some late alarm, had thrown all his into the Seine. Let that
be no difficulty, however, for was there not little Thibault,
who could make them of all shapes and sizes, and to whom
Tabary, smelling an accomplice, would be only too glad to
introduce his new acquaintance? On the morrow, accordingly,
they met; and Tabary, after having first wet his whistle at
the prior's expense, led him to Notre Dame and presented him
to four or five "young companions," who were keeping
sanctuary in the church. They were all clerks, recently
escaped, like Tabary himself, from the episcopal prisons.
Among these we may notice Thibault, the operator, a little
fellow of twenty-six, wearing long hair behind. The Prior
expressed, through Tabary, his anxiety to become their
accomplice and altogether such as they were (DE LEUR SORTS ET
DE LEURS COMPLICES). Mighty polite they showed themselves,
and made him many fine speeches in return. But for all that,
perhaps because they had longer heads than Tabary, perhaps
because it is less easy to wheedle men in a body, they kept
obstinately to generalities and gave him no information as to
their exploits, past, present, or to come. I suppose Tabary
groaned under this reserve; for no sooner were he and the
Prior out of the church than he fairly emptied his heart to
him, gave him full details of many hanging matters in the
past, and explained the future intentions of the band.
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