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Updated: May 7, 2025
"But the Duke?" said Bonavent, hesitating. "I am the Duke," said Lupin. Bonavent gave him the letter, and turned to go. "Don't go," said Lupin quietly. "Wait, there may be an answer." There was a faint glitter in his eyes; but Bonavent missed it. Charolais came into the room, and said, in a grumbling tone, "A run-away knock. I wish I could catch the brats; I'd warm them.
"But perhaps I'd better keep an eye on it myself; one never knows." He put away the razor leisurely, and went. On the stairs he found Bonavent, mounting Bonavent, disguised in the livery and fierce moustache of a porter from the Ritz. "Why didn't you come to the servants' entrance?" said Charolais, with the truculent air of the servant of a duke and a stickler for his master's dignity.
They broke into cries of surprise and bewilderment, surrounding the gasping Guerchard with excited questions. The Duke walked quietly out of the room. Guerchard sobbed twice; his eyes opened, and in a dazed fashion wandered from face to face; he said faintly: "Where is he?" "Where's who?" said Bonavent. "The Duke the Duke!" gasped Guerchard. "Why, he's gone!" said Bonavent.
"How long has Mademoiselle Kritchnoff been gone?" he said to Bonavent. "Not much more than five minutes," said Bonavent. "She came out from talking to you in the drawing-room " "Talking to me in the drawing-room!" exclaimed Guerchard. "Yes," said Bonavent. "She came out and went straight down the stairs and out of the house." A faint, sighing gasp came from Guerchard's lips.
"Didn't you order two prison-vans?" said Bonavent. Guerchard jumped; and his face went purple with fury and dismay. "You don't mean to tell me that two prison-vans have been here?" he cried. "Yes, sir," said Bonavent. "Damnation!" cried Guerchard. "In which of them did you put Victoire? In which of them?" "Why, in the first, sir," said Bonavent. "Did you see the police in charge of it?
"Shall I write Arsene?" said Charolais, in a horrified tone. "Why not?" said Lupin. "It's your charming name, isn't it?" Bonavent pricked up his ears, and looked at Charolais with a new interest. Charolais shrugged his shoulders, finished the letter, blotted it, put it in an envelope, addressed it, and handed it to Lupin.
The Duke stood listening with all his ears. Directly he heard the sound of Guerchard's heels on the floor, when he dropped from the chimney-piece of the next room, he went swiftly to the door, opened it, and went out. Bonavent was sitting on the chair on which the young policeman had sat during the afternoon. Sonia, in her hat and cloak, was half-way down the stairs.
Bonavent came into the room. "Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, Bonavent. It's quite time," said Guerchard. "Mademoiselle Kritchnoff?" said Bonavent, with an air of surprise. "Yes, it's time that she was taken to the police-station." "Mademoiselle Kritchnoff has gone, sir," said Bonavent, in a tone of quiet remonstrance. "Gone? What do you mean by gone?" said Guerchard.
"Of Lupin's!" interposed the Duke softly. "But I don't understand," said Bonavent. "You don't understand, you idiot!" cried Guerchard. "You've sent Victoire away in a sham prison-van a prison-van belonging to Lupin. Oh, that scoundrel! He always has something up his sleeve." "He certainly shows foresight," said the Duke.
"M. Formery told me, when you were out this afternoon, that he believed this housekeeper to be quite innocent," said the Duke idly. "There is certainly one innocent in this affair," said Guerchard, grinning. "Who is that?" said the Duke. "The examining magistrate," said Guerchard. The door opened, and Bonavent brought Victoire in.
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