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He reached the frontier at night without hindrance. At Neuvéglise he was
in Belgium; he believed himself in safety. When asked for his papers he
caused himself to be taken before the Burgomaster, and said to him, "I
am a political refugee."
The Burgomaster, a Belgian but a Bonapartist--this breed is to be
found--had him at once reconducted to the frontier by the gendarmes, who
were ordered to hand him over to the French authorities.
Cournet gave himself up for lost.
The Belgian gendarmes took him to Armentières. If they had asked for the
Mayor it would have been all at an end with Cournet, but they asked for
the Inspector of Customs.
A glimmer of hope dawned upon Cournet.
He accosted the Inspector of Customs with his head erect, and shook
hands with him.
The Belgian gendarmes had not yet released him.
"
Now, sir," said Cournet to the Custom House officer, "you are an
Inspector of Customs, I am an Inspector of Railways. Inspectors do not
eat inspectors. The deuce take it! Some worthy Belgians have taken
fright and sent me to you between four gendarmes. Why, I know not. I am
sent by the Northern Company to relay the ballast of a bridge somewhere
594
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