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"If they question me, perhaps I'll simply tell," he thought, as

he drew near the police-station.

The police-station was about a quarter of a mile off. It had

lately been moved to new rooms on the fourth floor of a new

house. He had been once for a moment in the old office but long

ago. Turning in at the gateway, he saw on the right a flight of

stairs which a peasant was mounting with a book in his hand. "A

house-porter, no doubt; so then, the office is here," and he

began ascending the stairs on the chance. He did not want to ask

questions of anyone.

"I'll go in, fall on my knees, and confess everything..." he

thought, as he reached the fourth floor.