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Prasville next lifted and examined different objects; and he asked:

“How often have you been here?”

“Six times last winter,” was the reply.

“And you have searched the house thoroughly?”

“Every one of the rooms, for days at a time, while he was visiting his constituency.”

“Still... still...” And he added, “Has he no servant at present?”

“No, he is looking for one. He has his meals out and the portress keeps the house as best she can. The woman is devoted to us...”

Prasville persisted in his investigations for nearly an hour and a half, shifting and fingering all the knick-knacks, but taking care to put everything back exactly where he found it. At nine o’clock, however, the two detectives who had followed Daubrecq burst into the study:

“He’s coming back!”

“On foot?”

“Yes.”

“Have we time?”

“Oh, dear, yes!”

Prasville and the men from the police-office withdrew, without undue haste, after taking a last glance round the room to make sure that there was nothing to betray their visit.

The position was becoming critical for Lupin. He ran the risk of knocking up against Daubrecq, if he went away, or of not being able to get out, if he remained. But, on ascertaining that the dining-room windows afforded a direct means of exit to the square, he resolved to stay. Besides, the opportunity of obtaining a close view of Daubrecq was too good to refuse; and, as Daubrecq had been out to dinner, there was not much chance of his entering the dining-room.