It seemed as though the whole of the evil gang of the Cercle Africain were called as witnesses.

They testified as to Captain Vauvenarde's part proprietorship of the hell--as to wrong practices that occurred there--as to the crazy conduct of both Anastasius and myself on the occasion of my insane visit.

Officers of the Chasseurs d'Afrique were compelled further to blacken the character of the dead man--he had been a notorious plucker of pigeons during most of his military career, and when at last he was caught red-handed palming the king at _ecarte_, he was forced to resign his commission.

Arabs came from the slums with appalling stories.

Even the stolid Saupiquet, dragged from Toulon, gave evidence as to the five-franc bribe and the debt of fifteen sous, and identified the horse Sultan by the crumpled photograph.