A gas laser 1 such as a .sup.13 CO.sub.2 -laser emits at two different wavelengths (.lambda..sub.1, .lambda..sub.2) with a sine-shaped adjustment of a resonator mirror or a grating 13 such as a Littrow grating. The gas laser emits radiation at the two desired wavelengths (.lambda..sub.1, .lambda..sub.2) in two mutually adjacent intervals of the resonator length L because of a suitable dimensioning of the grating 13 with respect to grating structure and angle position, the outcoupling factor of the outcoupling mirror 12, the resonator length L and the composition of the gas of the laser. The laser emission is inhibited at the crossover between the two intervals and the sine-shaped modulation (for example with a piezo element) of the resonator length L is essentially symmetrical about this crossover. The invention is also directed to an arrangement for detecting a substance such as NH.sub.3 in a flue gas. This arrangement includes a two wavelengths laser light source 1, a modulation unit 14 and a reference detection unit D1; a transmission optic 2; a measuring path 3 which contains the substance to be detected; a receiving optic 4 and a measuring detector D2. An evaluation apparatus 5 is also provided which determines the ratio of the light absorption in the measuring path 3 at the two wavelengths (.lambda..sub.1, .lambda..sub.2) and determines therefrom the concentration of the substance to be detected in the measuring path 3.