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Gueulemer； built after this sculptural fashion； might have subdued monsters； he had found it more expeditious to be one。
A low brow； large temples； less than forty years of age； but with crow's…feet； harsh； short hair； cheeks like a brush； a beard like that of a wild boar； the reader can see the man before him。 His muscles called for work； his stupidity would have none of it。 He was a great； idle force。
He was an assassin through coolness。 He was thought to be a creole。
He had； probably； somewhat to do with Marshal Brune； having been a porter at Avignon in 1815。 After this stage； he had turned ruffian。
The diaphaneity of Babet contrasted with the grossness of Gueulemer。 Babet was thin and learned。
He was transparent but impenetrable。 Daylight was visible through his bones； but nothing through his eyes。 He declared that he was a chemist。
He had been a jack of all trades。 He had played in vaudeville at Saint…Mihiel。 He was a man of purpose； a fine talker； who underlined his smiles and accentuated his gestures。 His occupation consisted in selling； in the open air； plaster busts and portraits of 〃the head of the State。〃
In addition to this； he extracted teeth。
He had exhibited phenomena at fairs； and he had owned a booth with a trumpet and this poster： 〃Babet； Dental Artist； Member of the Academies； makes physical experiments on metals and metalloids； extracts teeth； undertakes stumps abandoned by his brother practitioners。
Price：
one tooth； one franc； fifty centimes； two teeth； two francs； three teeth； two francs； fifty。
Take advantage of this opportunity。〃 This Take advantage of this opportunity meant：
Have as many teeth extracted as possible。
He had been married and had had children。 He did not know what had bee of his wife and children。
He had lost them as one loses his handkerchief。
Babet read the papers； a striking exception in the world to which he belonged。
One day； at the period when he had his family with him in his booth on wheels； he had read in the Messager； that a woman had just given birth to a child； who was doing well； and had a calf's muzzle； and he exclaimed： 〃There's a fortune！ my wife has not the wit to present me with a child like that！〃
Later on he had abandoned everything； in order to 〃undertake Paris。〃 This was his expression。
Who was Claquesous？
He was night。
He waited until the sky was daubed with black； before he showed himself。
At nightfall he emerged from the hole whither he returned before daylight。
Where was this hole？ No one knew。
He only addressed his acplices in the most absolute darkness； and with his back turned to them。
Was his name Claquesous？ Certainly not。
If a candle was brought； he put on a mask。 He was a ventriloquist。
Babet said：
〃Claquesous is a nocturne for two voices。〃
Claquesous was vague； terrible； and a roamer。 No one was sure whether he had a name； Claquesous being a sobriquet； none was sure that he had a voice； as his stomach spoke more frequently than his voice； no one was sure that he had a face； as he was never seen without his mask。
He disappeared as though he had vanished into thin air； when he appeared； it was as though he sprang from the earth。
A lugubrious being was Montparnasse。
Montparnasse was a child； less than twenty years of age； with a handsome face； lips like cherries； charming black hair； the brilliant light of springtime in his eyes； he had all vices and aspired to all crimes。
The digestion of evil aroused in him an appetite for worse。
It was the street boy turned pickpocket； and a pickpocket turned garroter。 He was genteel； effeminate； graceful； robust； sluggish； ferocious。 The rim of his hat was curled up on the left side； in order to make room for a tuft of hair； after the style of 1829。
He lived by robbery with violence。
His coat was of the best cut； but threadbare。 Montparnasse was a fashion…plate in misery and given to the mission of murders。
The cause of all this youth's crimes was the desire to be well…dressed。 The first grisette who had said to him： 〃You are handsome！〃 had cast the stain of darkness into his heart； and had made a Cain of this Abel。
Finding that he was handsome； he desired to be elegant：
now； the height of elegance is idleness； idleness in a poor man means crime。
Few prowlers were so dreaded as Montparnasse。
At eighteen； he had already numerous corpses in his past。
More than one passer…by lay with outstretched arms in the presence of this wretch； with his face in a pool of blood。 Curled； pomaded； with laced waist； the hips of a woman； the bust of a Prussian officer； the murmur of admiration from the boulevard wenches surrounding him； his cravat knowingly tied； a bludgeon in his pocket； a flower in his buttonhole； such was this dandy of the sepulchre。
BOOK SEVENTH。PATRON MINETTE CHAPTER I
CHAPTER IV
These four ruffians formed a sort of Proteus； winding like a serpent among the police； and striving to escape Vidocq's indiscreet glances 〃under divers forms； tree； flame； fountain；〃 lending each other their names and their traps； hiding in their own shadows； boxes with secret partments and refuges for each other； stripping off their personalities； as one removes his false nose at a masked ball； sometimes simplifying matters to the point of consisting of but one individual； sometimes multiplying themselves to such a point that Coco…Latour himself took them for a whole throng。
These four men were not four men； they were a sort of mysterious robber with four heads； operating on a grand scale on Paris； they were that monstrous polyp of evil； which inhabits the crypt of society。
Thanks to their ramifications； and to the network underlying their relations； Babet； Gueulemer； Claquesous； and Montparnasse were charged with the general enterprise of the ambushes of the department of the Seine。
The inventors of ideas of that nature； men with nocturnal imaginations； applied to them to have their ideas executed。
They furnished the canvas to the four rascals； and the latter undertook the preparation of the scenery。
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