francs in gold!" exclaimed the Chouette.
Rodolph nodded his head in the affirmative.
"And you know this house, and the people in it?" said the Schoolmaster.
"Quite well."
"Is the entry difficult?"
"A wall seven feet high on the side of the Allée des Veuves, a garden, windows down to the ground, and the house has only the ground floor throughout."
"And there is only the porter to guard this treasure?"
"Yes."
"And what, young man, is your proposed plan of proceeding?"
"Simple enough: to climb over the wall, pick the lock of the door, or force open a shutter or lock. What do you think of it?"
"I cannot answer you before I have examined it all myself—that is, by the aid of my wife; but, if all you tell me is as you say, I think it would be the thing to do it at once this evening."
And the ruffian looked earnestly at Rodolph.
"This evening!—impossible!" replied he.
"Why, since the occupier does not return until the day after to-morrow?"
"Yes, but I—I cannot this evening—"
"Really? Well, and I—I cannot to-morrow."
"Why not?"
"For the reason that prevents you this evening," said the robber, in a tone of mockery.
After a moment's reflection, Rodolph replied:
"Well, then, this evening be it. Where shall we meet?"
"We will not separate," said the Schoolmaster.
"Why not?"
"Why should we?"
"What is the use of separating? The weather has cleared up, and we will go and walk about, and give a look at the Allée des Veuves; you will see how my woman will work. When that is done, we will return and play a hand at piquet, and have a bit of something in a place in the Champs Elysées that I know, near the river; and, as the Allée des Veuves is deserted at an early hour, we will walk that way about ten o'clock."
"I will join you at nine o'clock."
"Do you or do you not wish that we should do this job together?"
"I do wish it."
"Well, then, we do not separate before evening, or else—"
"Or else?"
"I shall think that you are making 'a plant' for me, and that's the reason you wish to part company now."
"If I wished to set the 'traps' after you, what is to prevent my doing so this evening?"
"Why, everything. You did not expect that I should propose the affair to you so soon, and if you do not leave us you cannot put anybody up to it."
"You mistrust me, then?"
"Most extremely. But as what you propose may be quite true and honest, and the half of sixty thousand francs is worth a risk, I am willing to try for it; but this evening, or never; if never, I shall have my suspicions of you confirmed, and one day or other I will take care and let you dine off a dish of my cooking."
"And I will return your compliment, rely on it."
"Oh, this is all stuff and nonsense!" said the Chouette. "I think with fourline, to-night or never."
Rodolph was in a state of extreme anxiety; if he allowed this opportunity to escape of laying hands on the Schoolmaster, he might never again light on him. The ruffian would ever afterwards be on his guard, or if recognised, apprehended, and taken back to the Bagne, would carry with him that secret which Rodolph had so much interest in discovering. Confiding in his address and courage, and trusting to chance, he said to the Schoolmaster:
"Agreed, then; and we will not part company before evening."
"Then I'm your man. It is now two o'clock; it is some distance from here to the Allée des Veuves; it is raining again in torrents; let us pay the reckoning and take a coach."
"If we have a coach, I should like first to smoke a cigar."
"Why not?" said the Schoolmaster. "Finette does not mind the smell of tobacco."
"Well, then, I'll go and fetch some cigars," said Rodolph, rising.
"Pray don't give yourself that trouble," said the Schoolmaster, stopping him; "Finette will go."
Rodolph resumed his seat. The Schoolmaster had penetrated his design. The Chouette went out.
"What a clever manager I have, haven't I?" said the ruffian; "and so tractable, she would throw herself into the fire for me."
"Apropos of fire, it is not overwarm here," replied Rodolph, placing both his hands under his blouse; and then, continuing his conversation with the Schoolmaster, he took out a lead-pencil and a morsel of paper, which he had in his waistcoat pocket, without being detected, and wrote some words hastily, taking care to make his letters wide apart, so that they might be more legible; for he wrote under his blouse, and without seeing what he wrote.
This note escaped the penetration of the Schoolmaster; the next thing was to enable it to reach its address.
Rodolph rose and went listlessly towards the window, and began to hum a tune between his teeth, accompanying himself on the window glasses.
The Schoolmaster came up to the window and said to Rodolph:
"What tune are you playing?"
"I am playing 'Tu n'auras pas ma rose.'"
"And a very pretty tune it is. I should like to know if it would have the effect of making any of the passers-by turn round?"
"I had no such intention."
"You are wrong, young man; for you are playing the tambourine on that pane of glass with all your might. But I was thinking, the porter of this house in the Allée des Veuves is perhaps a stout fellow; if he resists, you have only your pistol, which is a noisy weapon, whilst a tool like this (and he showed Rodolph the handle of his poniard) makes no noise, and does not disturb anybody."
"Do you mean, then, to assassinate him?" exclaimed Rodolph. "If you have any such intention, let us give up the job altogether; I will have no hand in it—so don't rely on me—"
"But if he wakes?"
"We will take to our heels."
"Well, just as you like; only it is better to come to a clear understanding beforehand. So, then, ours is simply a mere robbery with forcible entry—"
"Nothing more."
"That's very silly and contemptible; but so
