two principal actors in that drama face to face, and Iwish that meeting to take place in your house, if you will be so
kind as to give me the use of it for this evening from nine o'clock
to eleven. It will be advisable to give your servant leave of
absence for the evening, and, perhaps, you will be so kind as to
leave the field open to the two adversaries. You will remember
that when I visited your house on the night of 22 June, I took
excellent care of your property. I feel that I would do you an
injustice if I should doubt, for one moment, your absolute
discretion in this affair. Your devoted,
"SALVATOR."
I was amused at the facetious tone of his letter and also at the whimsical nature of his request. There was a charming display of confidence and candor in his language, and nothing in the world could have induced me to deceive him or repay his confidence with ingratitude.
I gave my servant a theatre ticket, and he left the house at eight o'clock. A few minutes later, Daspry arrived. I showed him the letter.
"Well?" said he.
"Well, I have left the garden gate unlocked, so anyone can enter."
"And you—are you going away?"
"Not at all. I intend to stay right here."
"But he asks you to go—-"
"But I am not going. I will be discreet, but I am resolved to see what takes place."
"Ma foi!" exclaimed Daspry, laughing, "you are right, and I shall stay with you. I shouldn't like to miss it."
We were interrupted by the sound of the door-bell.
"Here already?" said Daspry, "twenty minutes ahead of time! Incredible!"
I went to the door and ushered in the visitor. It was Madame Andermatt. She was faint and nervous, and in a stammering voice, she ejaculated:
"My husband.... is coming.... he has an appointment.... they intend to give him the letters...."
"How do you know?" I asked.
"By chance. A message came for my husband while we were at dinner. The servant gave it to me by mistake. My husband grabbed it quickly, but he was too late. I had read it."
"You read it?"
"Yes. It was something like this: `At nine o'clock this evening, be at Boulevard Maillot with the papers connected with the affair. In exchange, the letters.' So, after dinner, I hastened here."
"Unknown to your husband?"
"Yes."
"What do you think about it?" asked Daspry, turning to me.
"I think as you do, that Mon. Andermatt is one of the invited guests."
"Yes, but for what purpose?"
"That is what we are going to find out."
I led the men to a large room. The three of us could hide comfortably behind the velvet chimney-mantle, and observe all that should happen in the room. We seated ourselves there, with Madame Andermatt in the centre.
The clock struck nine. A few minutes later, the garden gate creaked upon its hinges. I confess that I was greatly agitated. I was about to learn the key to the mystery. The startling events of the last few weeks were about to be explained, and, under my eyes, the last battle was going to be fought. Daspry seized the hand of Madame Andermatt, and said to her:
"Not a word, not a movement! Whatever you may see or hear, keep quiet!"
Some one entered. It was Alfred Varin. I recognized him at once, owing to the close resemblance he bore to his brother Etienne. There was the same slouching gait; the same cadaverous face covered with a black beard.
He entered with the nervous air of a man who is accustomed to fear the presence of traps and ambushes; who scents and avoids them. He glanced about the room, and I had the impression that the chimney, masked with a velvet portiere, did not please him. He took three steps in our direction, when something caused him to turn and walk toward the old mosaic king, with the flowing beard and flamboyant sword, which he examined minutely, mounting on a chair and following with his fingers the outlines of the shoulders and head and feeling certain parts of the face. Suddenly, he leaped from the chair and walked away from it. He had heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Mon. Andermatt appeared at the door.
"You! You!" exclaimed the banker. "Was it you who brought me here?"
"I? By no means," protested Varin, in a rough, jerky voice that reminded me of his brother, "on the contrary, it was your letter that brought me here."
"My letter?"
"A letter signed by you, in which you offered—-"
"I never wrote to you," declared Mon. Andermatt.
"You did not write to me!"
Instinctively, Varin was put on his guard, not against the banker, but against the unknown enemy who had drawn him into this trap. A second time, he looked in our direction, then walked toward the door. But Mon. Andermatt barred his passage.
"Well, where are you going, Varin?"
"There is something about this affair I don't like. I am going home. Good evening."
"One moment!"
"No need of that, Mon. Andermatt. I have nothing to say to you."
"But I have something to say to you, and this is a good time to say it."
"Let me pass."
"No, you will not pass."
Varin recoiled before the resolute attitude of the banker, as he muttered:
"Well, then, be quick about it."
One thing astonished me; and I have no doubt my two companions experienced a similar feeling. Why was Salvator not there? Was he not a necessary party at this conference? Or was he satisfied to let these two adversaries fight it out between themselves? At all events, his absence was a great disappointment, although it did not detract from the dramatic strength of the situation.
After a moment, Mon. Andermatt approached Varin and, face to face, eye to eye, said:
"Now, after all these years and when you have nothing more to fear, you can answer me candidly: What have you done with Louis Lacombe?"
"What a question! As if I knew anything about him!"
"You do know! You and your brother were his constant companions, almost lived with him in this very house. You knew all about his plans and his work. And the last
