CHAPTER XIX.

ONE FOOT IN THE TOMB

Cournet was waiting for us. He received us on the ground floor, in a

parlor where there was a fire, a table, and some chairs; but the room

was so small that a quarter of us filled it to overflowing, and the

others remained in the courtyard. "It is impossible to deliberate here,"

said Bancel. "I have a larger room on the first floor," answered

Cournet, "but it is a building in course of construction, which is not

yet furnished, and where there is no fire."--"What does it matter?" they

answered him. "Let us go up to the first floor."

We went up to the first floor by a steep and narrow wooden staircase,

and we took possession of two rooms with very low ceilings, but of which

one was sufficiently large. The walls were whitewashed, and a few

straw-covered stools formed the whole of its furniture.

They called out to me, "Preside."

I sat down on one of the stools in the corner of the first room, with

the fire place on my right and on my left the door opening upon the

staircase. Baudin said to me, "I have a pencil and paper. I will act as

secretary to you." He sat down on a stool next to me.

The Representatives and those present, amongst whom were several men in

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The History of a Crime