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The two men went out through Clarisse's room。 Lupin availed himself of a moment when Clarisse Mergy was not looking to stow away the pocketbook with the greatest satisfaction：
〃I shall have done a fair stroke of business；〃 he said to himself。 〃When all the expenses are paid； I shall still be well to the good； and it's not over yet。〃
Then turning to Clarisse Mergy； he asked：
〃Have you a bag？〃
〃Yes； I bought one when I reached Nice； with some linen and a few necessaries； for I left Paris unprepared。〃
〃Get all that ready。 Then go down to the office。 Say that you are expecting a trunk which a commissionaire is bringing from the station cloakroom and that you will want to unpack and pack it again in your room； and tell them that you are leaving。〃
When alone； Lupin examined Daubrecq carefully； felt in all his pockets and appropriated everything that seemed to present any sort of interest。
The Growler was the first to return。 The trunk； a large wicker hamper covered with black moleskin； was taken into Clarisse's room。 Assisted by Clarisse and the Growler； Lupin moved Daubrecq and put him in the trunk； in a sitting posture； but with his head bent so as to allow of the lid being fastened：
〃I don't say that it's as comfortable as your berth in a sleeping…car； my dear deputy；〃 Lupin observed。 〃But； all the same； it's better than a coffin。 At least； you can breathe。 Three little holes in each side。 You have nothing to complain of！〃
Then； unstopping a flask：
〃A drop more chloroform？ You seem to love it！。。。 〃
He soaked the pad once more； while； by his orders； Clarisse and the Growler propped up the deputy with linen； rugs and pillows； which they had taken the precaution to heap in the trunk。
〃Capital！〃 said Lupin。 〃That trunk is fit to go round the world。 Lock it and strap it。〃
The Masher arrived； in a chauffeur's livery：
〃The car's below； governor。〃
〃Good；〃 he said。 〃Take the trunk down between you。 It would be dangerous to give it to the hotel…servants。〃
〃But if any one meets us？〃
〃Well； what then； Masher？ Aren't you a chauffeur？ You're carrying the trunk of your employer here present； the lady in No。 130； who will also go down； step into her motor。。。 and wait for me two hundred yards farther on。 Growler； you help to hoist the trunk up。 Oh； first lock the partition…door！〃
Lupin went to the next room； closed the other door； shot the bolt； walked out； locked the door behind him and went down in the lift。
In the office； he said：
〃M。 Daubrecq has suddenly been called away to Monte Carlo。 He asked me to say that he would not be back until Tuesday and that you were to keep his room for him。 His things are all there。 Here is the key。〃
He walked away quietly and went after the car； where he found Clarisse lamenting：
〃We shall never be in Paris to…morrow！ It's madness！ The least breakdown。。。
〃That's why you and I are going to take the train。 It's safer。。。 〃
He put her into a cab and gave his parting instructions to the two men：
〃Thirty miles an hour； on the average； do you understand？ You're to drive and rest； turn and turn about。 At that rate； you ought to be in Paris between six and seven to…morrow evening。 But don't force the pace。 I'm keeping Daubrecq； not because I want him for my plans； but as a hostage。。。 and then by way of precaution。。。 I like to feel that I can lay my hands on him during the next few days。 So look after the dear fellow。。。 Give him a few drops of chioroform every three or four hours： it's his one weakness。。。 Off with you； Masher。。。 And you； Daubrecq； don't get excited up there。 The roof'll bear you all right。。。 If you feel at all sick； don't mind。。。 Off you go； Masher！
He watched the car move into the distance and then told the cabman to drive to a post…office； where he dispatched a telegram in these words：
〃M。 Prasville； Prefecture de Police； Paris： 〃Person found。 Will bring you document eleven o'clock to…morrow morning。 Urgent communciation。 〃CLARISSE。〃
Clarisse and Lupin reached the station by half…past two。
〃If only there's room！〃 said Clarisse； who was alarmed at the least thing。
〃Room？ Why； our berths are booked！〃
〃By whom？〃
〃By Jacob。。。 by Daubrecq。〃
〃How？〃
〃Why； at the office of the hotel they gave me a letter which had come for Daubrecq by express。 It was the two berths which Jacob had sent him。 Also； I have his deputy's pass。 So we shall travel under the name of M。 and Mme。 Daubrecq and we shall receive all the attention due to our rank and station。 You see； my dear madam； that everything's arranged。〃
The journey； this time； seemed short to Lupin。 Clarisse told him what she had done during the past few days。 He himself explained the miracle of his sudden appearance in Daubrecq's bedroom at the moment when his adversary belleved him in Italy：
〃A miracle； no；〃 he said。 〃But still a remarkable phenomenon took place in me when I left San Remo； a sort of mysterious intuition which prompted me first to try and jump out of the train … and the Masher prevented me … and next to rush to the window； let down the glass and follow the porter of the Ambassadeurs…Palace； who had given me your message； with my eyes。 Well； at that very minute； the porter aforesaid was rubbing his hands with an air of such satisfaction that； for no other reason； suddenly； I understood everything： I had been diddled； taken in by Daubrecq； as you yourself were。 Heaps of llttle details flashed across my mind。 My adversary's scheme became clear to me from start to finish。 Another minute。。。 and the disaster would have been beyond remedy。 I had； I confess； a few moments of real despair； at the thought that I should not be able to repair all the mistakes that had been made。 It depended simply on the time…table of the trains； which would either allow me or would not allow me to find Daubrecq's emissary on the railway…platform at San Remo。 This time； at last； chance favoured me。 We had hardly alighted at the first station when a train passed； for France。 When we arrived at San Remo； the man was there。 I had guessed right。 He no longer wore his hotel…porter's cap and frock…coat； but a jacket and bowler。 He stepped into a second…class compartment。 From that moment； victory was assured。〃
〃But。。。 how 。。。 ？〃 asked Clarisse； who； in spite of the thoughts that obsessed her； was interested in Lupin's story。
〃How did I find you？ Lord； simply by not losing sight of Master Jacob； while leaving him free to move about as he pleased； knowing that he was bound to account for his actions to Daubrecq。 In point of fact； this morning； after spending the night in a small hotel at Nice； he met Daubrecq on the Promenade des Anglais。 They talked for some time。 I followed them。 Daubrecq went back to the hotel； planted Jacob in one of the passages on the ground…floor； opposite the telephone…office； and went up in the lift。 Ten minutes later I knew the number of his room and knew that a lady had been occupying the next room； No。 130； since the day before。 'I believe we've done it；' I said to the Growler and the Masher。 I tapped lightly at your door。 No answer。 And the door was locked。〃
〃Well？〃 asked Clarisse。
〃Well； we opened it。 Do you think there's only one key in the world that will work a lock？ So I walked in。 Nobody in your room。 But the partition…door was ajar。 I slipped through it。 Thenceforth； a mere hanging separated me from you； from Daubrecq and from the packet of tobacco which I saw on the chimney…slab。〃
〃Then you knew the hiding…place？〃 〃A look round Daubrecq's study in Paris showed me that that packet of tobacco had disappeared。 Besides。。。 〃
〃What？〃
〃I knew； from certain confessions wrung from Daubrecq in the Lovers' Tower； that the word Marie held the key to the riddle。 Since then I had certainly thought of this word； but with the preconceived notion that it was spelt M A R I E。 Well； it was really the first two syllables of another word； which I guessed； so to speak； only at the moment when I was struck by the absence of the packet of tobacco。〃
〃What word do you mean？〃
〃Maryl