Part 23 (2/2)

He had tripped on a woman's skirt in the shadow of the wall.

”Peste! Why can't our fair dames and demoiselles let _us_ fight it out? There really isn't enough to go round!”

He paused, then returned impulsively and looked at the dark bundle,--stirred it with his foot. It was certainly the figure of a woman.

”Last round,” he muttered; ”next, the Seine!”

His budding professional instincts prompted him to search for the pulse.

It was still.

And when he took his hand away it was covered with blood.

”Wait!”

He placed his hand over the heart, then uncovered a young but bruised and swollen face.

”The cavalry,” he murmured. ”She's dead; she--well, perhaps it was better.”

He glanced up and down the street, as if considering whether to go his way or to call the police. There was n.o.body in sight near enough to attract by cries. The police were busy elsewhere. Then his face all at once lighted up.

”A good idea!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed,--”a very good idea!”

He saw two cabs approaching.

Calling the first, he began to carry the good idea into immediate execution.

”What is it, monsieur?” inquired the cabman, seeing the body.

”An accident. Quick, cocher!”

With his usual decision Jean thrust the body into the cab and followed it.

”Allez!” he commanded.

”But, monsieur,--the--the--where to?”

”Pont de Solferino, to Boulevard St. Germain. An extra franc, my lad!”

Having vaguely started the cabby, Jean had time to think. He knew the prejudices most people entertain concerning the dead. Especially the prejudices of Paris police agents and cabmen. To give the Rue de Medecine would set the man to speculating. To mention Le Pet.i.t Rouge would be to have him hail the first man in uniform.

As to Jean Marot, medical student, du Quartier Latin, in his fourth year, a lifeless body was no more than a bag of sand. It was merely a ”subject.”

”The chief benefit conferred upon society and humanity by a large proportion of our population,” he would have cynically observed to any caviller, ”is by dying and becoming useful 'subjects.'”

He considered himself fortunate, however, in having a close cab, out of deference to those who might differ with him. They crossed the Pont de Solferino, where a momentary halt gave a couple of alert agents a chance to scrutinize him a little more sharply than was comfortable, and turned down Boulevard St. Germain.

At the ecole de Medecine Jean stopped the cab, as if struck with a new idea.

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