Page:Memoirs of Vidocq, Volume 2.djvu/183

 who, for want of being equal to other employment, occupy themselves with flattering their patrons, and preventing the truth from reaching their ears. Thus have I seen, from time to time, sometimes under one direction and sometimes under another, the police organized, or rather indeed disorganized, each change of a préfet introducing into it fresh novices, and causing the dismissal of experienced officers. I shall hereafter dwell more at length upon the consequences of these changes, which have originated solely in the desire of bestowing appointments upon the creatures of the last comer. Meanwhile I will resume the thread of my narrative.

So soon as I was installed in my new office of secret agent, I commenced my rounds, in order to take my measures well for setting effectually to work. These journies, which occupied me nearly twenty days, furnished me with many useful and important observations, but as yet I was only preparing to act, and studying my ground.

One morning I was hastily summoned to attend the chief of the division. The matter in hand was to discover a man named Watrin, accused of having fabricated and put in circulation false money and bank notes. The inspectors of the police had already arrested Watrin, but, according to custom, had allowed him to escape. M. Henry gave me every direction which he deemed likely to assist me in the search after him; but unfortunately he had only gleaned a few simple particulars of his usual habits and customary haunts; every place he was known to frequent were freely pointed out to me; but it was not very likely he would be found in those resorts which prudence would call upon him carefully to avoid; there remained therefore only a chance of reaching him by some bye path. When I learnt that he had left his effects in a furnished house, where he once lodged, on the boulevard of Mont Parnasse, I took it for granted that, sooner or later, he would go there in search of