Castles in the Air | Page 9

into the building by the
main staircase, and who became very abusive to the gendarme who

ordered them out. The men were not hurt; nevertheless they screamed
as if they were being murdered. They took to their heels quickly
enough, and I don't know what has become of them, but . . ."
"But," I concluded blandly, "whilst M. de Marsan was out of the room
the precious document was stolen."
"It was, Monsieur," exclaimed Mlle. Geoffroy piteously. "You will find
it for us . . . will you not?"
Then she added more calmly: "My brother and I are offering ten
thousand francs reward for the recovery of the document."
I did not fall off my chair, but I closed my eyes. The vision which the
lovely lady's words had conjured up dazzled me.
"Mademoiselle," I said with solemn dignity, "I pledge you my word of
honour that I will find the document for you and lay it at your feet or
die in your service. Give me twenty hours, during which I will move
heaven and earth to discover the thief. I will go at once to the
Chancellerie and collect what evidence I can. I have worked under M.
de Robespierre, Mademoiselle, under the great Napoléon, and under the
illustrious Fouché! I have never been known to fail, once I have set my
mind upon a task."
"In that case you will earn your ten thousand francs, my friend," said
the odious Arthur drily, "and my sister and M. de Marsan will still be
your debtors. Are there any questions you would like to ask before we
go?"
"None," I said loftily, choosing to ignore his sneering manner. "If
Mademoiselle deigns to present herself here to-morrow at two o'clock I
will have news to communicate to her."
You will admit that I carried off the situation in a becoming manner.
Both Mademoiselle and Arthur Geoffroy gave me a few more details in
connexion with the affair. To these details I listened with well
simulated interest. Of course, they did not know that there were no

details in connexion with this affair that I did not know already. My
heart was actually dancing within my bosom. The future was so
entrancing that the present appeared like a dream; the lovely being
before me seemed like an angel, an emissary from above come to tell
me of the happiness which was in store for me. The house near
Chantilly--the little widow--the kitchen garden--the magic words went
on hammering in my brain. I longed now to be rid of my visitors, to be
alone once more, so as to think out the epilogue of this glorious
adventure. Ten thousand francs was the reward offered me by this
adorable creature! Well, then, why should not M. Charles Saurez, on
his side, pay me another ten thousand for the same document, which
was absolutely undistinguishable from the first?
Ten thousand, instead of two hundred which he had the audacity to
offer me!
Seven o'clock had struck before I finally bowed my clients out of the
room. Theodore had gone. The lazy lout would never stay as much as
five minutes after his appointed time, so I had to show the adorable
creature and her fat brother out of the premises myself. But I did not
mind that. I flatter myself that I can always carry off an awkward
situation in a dignified manner. A brief allusion to the inefficiency of
present-day servants, a jocose comment on my own simplicity of habits,
and the deed was done. M. Arthur Geoffroy and Mademoiselle
Madeleine his sister were half-way down the stairs. A quarter of an
hour later I was once more out in the streets of Paris. It was a beautiful,
balmy night. I had two hundred francs in my pocket and there was a
magnificent prospect of twenty thousand francs before me! I could
afford some slight extravagance. I had dinner at one of the fashionable
restaurants on the quay, and I remained some time out on the terrace
sipping my coffee and liqueur, dreaming dreams such as I had never
dreamed before. At ten o'clock I was once more on my way to Passy.

5.
When I turned the corner of the street and came is sight of the squalid

house where I lodged, I felt like a being from another world. Twenty
thousand francs--a fortune!--was waiting for me inside those dingy
walls. Yes, twenty thousand, for by now I had fully made up my mind.
I had two documents concealed beneath the floor of my bedroom--one
so like the other that none could tell them apart. One of these I would
restore to the lovely being who had offered me ten thousand francs for
it, and the other I would sell to my