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not survived the rest of the speech and the revelations which Daubrecq had made about Victoire and the flat in the Rue Chateaubriand。 The humiliation was too great； and Lupin no longer bothered to play the part of the small general practitioner。 He had but one idea in his head： not to give way to the tremendous fit of rage that was urging him to rush at Daubrecq like a bull。
Daubrecq gave the sort of little cluck which； with him； did duty for a laugh。 He came waddling up； with his hands in his trouser…pockets； and said； incisively：
〃Don't you think that this is all for the best？ I've cleared the ground； relieved the situation。。。 At least； we now know where we stand。 Lupin versus Daubrecq； and that's all about it。 Besides； think of the time saved！ Dr。 Vernes； the divisional surgeon； would have taken two hours to spin his yarn！ Whereas； like this； Master Lupin will be compelled to get his little story told in thirty minutes。。。 unless he wants to get himself collared and his accomplices nabbed。 What a shock！ What a bolt from the blue！ Thirty minutes and not a minute more。 In thirty minutes from now； you'll have to clear out； scud away like a hare and beat a disordered retreat。 Ha； ha； ha； what fun！ I say； Polonius； you really are unlucky； each time you come up against Bibi Daubrecq！ For it was you who were hiding behind that curtain； wasn't it； my ill…starred Polonius？〃
Lupin did not stir a muscle。 The one and only solution that would have calmed his feelings； that is to say； for him to throttle his adversary then and there； was so absurd that he preferred to accept Daubrecq's gibes without attempting to retort； though each of them cut him like the lash of a whip。 It was the second time； in the same room and in similar circumstances； that he had to bow before that Daubrecq of misfortune and maintain the most ridiculous attitude in silence。 And he felt convinced in his innermost being that； if he opened his mouth； it would be to spit words of anger and insult in his victor's face。 What was the good？ Was it not essential that he should keep cool and do the things which the new situation called for？
〃Well； M。 Lupin； well？〃 resumed the deputy。 〃You look as if your nose were out of joint。 Come； console yourself and admit that one sometimes comes across a joker who's not quite such a mug as his fellows。 So you thought that； because I wear spectades and eye…glasses； I was blind？ Bless my soul； I don't say that I at once suspected Lupin behind Polonius and Polonius behind the gentleman who came and bored me in the box at the Vaudeville。 No； no！ But； all the same； it worried me。 I could see that； between the police and Mme。 Mergy； there was a third bounder trying to get a finger in the pie。 And； gradually； what with the words let fall by the portress； what with watching the movements of my cook and making inquiries about her in the proper quarter； I began to understand。 Then； the other night； came the lightning…flash。 I heard the row in the house； in spite of my being asleep。 I managed to reconstruct the incident； to follow up Mme。 Mergy's traces； first； to the Rue Chateaubriand and； afterward； to Saint…Germain。。。 And then 。。。 what then？ I put different facts together： the Enghien burglary。。。 Gilbert's arrest 。。。 the inevitable treaty of alliance between the weeping mother and the leader of the gang。。。 the old nurse installed as cook。。。 all these people entering my house through the doors or through the windows。。。 And I knew what I had to do。 Master Lupin was sniffing at the secret。 The scent of the Twenty…seven attracted him。 I had only to wait for his visit。 The hour has arrived。 Good…evening； Master Lupin。〃
Daubrecq paused。 He had delivered his speech with the evident satisfaction of a man entitled to claim the appreciation of the most captious critics。
As Lupin did not speak； he took out his watch： 〃I say！ Only twenty…three minutes！ How time flies！ At this rate； we sha'n't have time to come to an explanation。〃 And； stepping still closer to Lupin； 〃I'm bound to say； I'm disappointed。 I thought that Lupin was a different sort of gentleman。 So； the moment he meets a more or less serious adversary； the colossus falls to pieces？ Poor young man！ Have a glass of water； to bring you round！〃 Lupin did not utter a word； did not betray a gesture of irritation。 With absolute composure； with a precision of movement that showed his perfect self…control and the clear plan of conduct which he had adopted； he gently pushed Daubrecq aside； went to the table and； m his turn； took down the receiver of the telephone：
〃I want 565。34； please；〃 he said。
He waited until he was through； and then； speaking in a slow voice and picking out every syllable； he said：
〃Hullo！。。。 Rue Chateaubriand？。。。 Is that you； Achille？。。。 Yes； it's the governor。 Listen to me carefully； Achille。。。 You must leave the flat！ Hullo！ 。。。 Yes； at once。 The police are coming in a few minutes。 No； no； don't lose your head。。。 You've got time。 Only； do what I tell you。 Is your bag still packed？。。。 Good。 And is one of the sides empty； as I told you？。。。 Good。 Well； go to my bedroom and stand with your face to the chimney…piece。 Press with your left hand on the little carved rosette in front of the marble slab； in the middle； and with your right hand on the top of the mantel…shelf。 You'll see a sort of drawer； with two little boxes in it。 Be careful。 One of them contains all our papers； the other； bank…notes and jewellery。 Put them both in the empty compartment of the bag。 Take the bag in your hand and go as fast as you can； on foot； to the corner of the Avenue Victor…Hugo and the Avenue de Montespan。 You'll find the car waiting； with Victoire。 I'll join you。 there。。。 What？。。。 My clothes？ My knickknacks？。。。 Never mind about all that。。。 You be off。 See you presently。〃
Lupin quietly pushed away the telephone。 Then； taking Daubrecq by the arm； he made him sit in a chair by his side and said：
〃And now listen to me； Daubrecq。〃
〃Oho！〃 grinned the deputy。 〃Calling each other by our surnames； are we？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lupin； 〃I allowed you to。〃 And； when Daubrecq released his arm with a certain misgiving； he said； 〃No； don't be afraid。 We sha'n't come to blows。 Neither of us has anything to gain by doing away with the other。 A stab with a knife？ What's the good？ No； sir！ Words； nothing but words。 Words that strike home； though。 Here are mine： they are plain and to the point。 Answer me in the same way； without reflecting： that's far better。 The boy？〃
〃I have him。〃
〃Give him back。〃
〃No。〃
〃Mme。 Mergy will kill herself。〃
〃No； she won't。〃
〃I tell you she will。〃
〃And I tell you she will not。〃
〃But she's tried to； once。〃
〃That's just the reason why she won't try again。〃
〃Well； then。。。 〃
〃No。〃
Lupin； after a moment； went on：
〃I expected that。 Also； I thought； on my way here； that you would hardly tumble to the story of Dr。 Vernes and that I should have to use other methods。〃
〃Lupin's methods。〃
〃As you say。 I had made up my mind to throw off the mask。 You pulled it off for me。 Well done you！ But that doesn't change my plans。〃
〃Speak。〃
Lupin took from a pocketbook a double sheet of foolscap paper； unfolded it and handed it to Daubrecq； saying：
〃Here is an exact； detailed inventory； with consecutive numbers； of the things removed by my friends and myself from your Villa Marie…Tberese on the Lac d'Enghien。 A s you see； there are one hundred and thirteen items。 Of those one hundred and thirteen items； sixty…eight； which have a red cross against them； have been sold and sent to America。 The remainder； numbering forty…five； are in my possession 。。。 until further orders。 They happen to be the pick of the bunch。 I offer you them in return for the immediate surrender of the child。
Daubrecq could not suppress a movement of surprise：
〃Oho！〃 he said。 〃You seem very much bent upon it。〃
〃Infinitely；〃 said Lupin； 〃for I am persuaded that a longer separation from her son will mean death to Mme。 Mergy。〃
〃And that upsets you； does it。。。 Lothario？〃
〃What！〃
Lupin planted himself in front of the other and repeated：
〃What！ What do you mean？〃
〃Nothing。。。 Nothing。。。 Something that crossed my mind。。。 Clarisse Mergy is a young woman still and a pretty woman at that。〃
Lupin shrugged his shoulders：
〃You brute！〃 he mumbled。 〃You imagine that everybody is like yourself； heartless and pitiless。 It takes your breath away； what； to think that a shark like me can waste his time playing the Don Quixote？ And you wonder what dirty motive I can have？ Don't try to find out： it's beyond your powers of perception。 Answer me； instead： do you accept？〃
〃So you're serious？〃 asked Daubrecq； who seemed but little disturbed by Lupin's contemptuous tone。
〃Absolutely。 The forty…five pieces are in a shed； of which I will give you the address； and they will be handed over to you； if you call there； at nine o'clock this evening； with the child。〃
There was no doubt about Daubrecq's reply。 To him； the kidnapping of little Jacques had represented only a means of working upon Clarisse Mergy's feelings and perhaps also a warning for her to cease the co