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The Comte d'Astrignac hurried up to him at once, with hands outstretched, thus showing that all the tittle-tattle in no way affected the esteem in which he continued to hold Private Perenna of the Foreign Legion. But the Prefect of Police maintained an attitude of reserve which was very significant.
I rang up Major d'Astrignac. He came at once and, with the help of the butler, let me out. Is that what you heard?" "Yes, Monsieur. I had gone to my room, which explains why I knew nothing of the incident or of Major d'Astrignac's visit." "Very well.
That same day, at three o'clock, Don Luis Perenna, accompanied by Major d'Astrignac, another officer, and a doctor, left the house in the Place du Palais-Bourbon in his car, and, followed by a taxi crammed with the detectives engaged in watching him, drove to the Parc des Princes. While waiting for the arrival of the adversary, the Comte d'Astrignac took Don Luis aside.
Major d'Astrignac nodded his head with an air of approval. To his mind, Perenna could not be mistaken. The Prefect of Police confessed: "Certainly, certainly ... we have a number of circumstances here ... that are fairly ambiguous.... Those brown patches; that doctor.... It's a case that wants looking into."
It was five o'clock exactly when Major Comte d'Astrignac, Maître Lepertuis, and the secretary of the American Embassy were shown into M. Desmalions's office. At the same moment some one entered the messengers' room and handed in his card.
"There is the ignominious truth in a nutshell. It is well that it should be stated. Let us hope, now that it stands revealed, that it will influence the future conduct of events." "At any rate, it will influence the conduct of the idiot who wrote that article," said Lupin, with a grin. He dismissed Mlle. Levasseur and rang up Major d'Astrignac on the telephone. "Is that you, Major?
"Another word, Major," cried Don Luis, gayly, "and this time I really will go out! I must say you have a nice way of sparing my modesty!" "My dear Perenna," replied Comte d'Astrignac, "I always told you that you had every good quality and only one fault, which was that you were not a Frenchman."
Comte d'Astrignac said: "My congratulations, Perenna." "Let me remind you, Major," he answered, "that this legacy is subject to a condition. And I swear that, if it depends on me, the survivors of the Roussel family shall be found." "I'm sure of it," said the officer. "I know you." "In any case," asked the Prefect of Police of Don Luis, "you do not refuse this conditional legacy?"
The American Secretary of Embassy and the Peruvian attaché, considering their continued presence unnecessary, went away, after warmly complimenting Don Luis Perenna on his powers of penetration. Next came the turn of Major d'Astrignac, who shook his former subordinate by the hand with obvious affection.
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