He read the letter half-aloud:

"Rely implicitly on the bearer of this note. He has succeeded in discovering the marquis' secret, with the money which we gave him, and has contrived a plan of escape. Everything is prepared for your flight.

"EUPHRASIE ROUSSELOT"

He read the letter again, repeated, "Euphrasie ... Euphrasie... " and raised his head once more.

Lupin whispered:

"It will take me two or three hours to file through one of the bars. Are Sebastiani and his sons coming back?"

"Yes, they are sure to," replied Daubrecq, in the same low voice, "but I expect they will leave me to myself."

"But they sleep next door?"

"Yes."

"Won't they hear?"

"No, the door is too thick."

"Very well. In that case, it will soon be done. I have a rope-ladder. Will you be able to climb up alone, without my assistance?"

"I think so... I'll try... It's my wrists that they've broken... Oh, the brutes! I can hardiy move my hands... and I have very little strength left. But I'll try all the same... needs must... "

He stopped, listened and, with his finger to his mouth, whispered:

"Hush!"

When Sebastiani and his sons entered the room, Daubrecq, who had hidden the letter and lain down on his bed, pretended to wake with a start.

The huntsman brought him a bottle of wine, a glass and some food:

"How goes it, monsieur le depute?" he cried. "Well, perhaps we did squeeze a little hard... It's very painful, that thumbscrewing. Seems they often did it at the time of the Great Revolution and Bonaparte... in the days of the chauffeurs.* A pretty invention! Nice and clean... no bloodshed... And it didn't last long either! In twenty minutes, you came out with the missing word!" Sebastiani burst out laughing. "By the way, monsieur le depute, my congratulations! A capital hiding-place. Who would ever suspect it?... You see, what put us off, monsieur le marquis and me, was that name of Marie which you let out at first. You weren't telling a lie; but there you are, you know: the word was only half-finished. We had to know the rest. Say what you like, it's amusing! Just think, on your study-table! Upon my word, what a joke!"

The huntsman rose and walked up and down the room, rubbing his hands:

"Monsieur le marquis is jolly well pleased, so pleased, in fact, that he himself is coming to-morrow evening to let you out. Yes, he has thought it over; there will be a few formalities: you may have to sign a cheque or two, stump up, what, and make good monsieur le marquis' expense and trouble. But what's that to you? A trifle! Not to mention that, from now on, there will be no more chains, no more straps round your wrists; in short, you will be treated like a king! And I've even been told - look here! - to allow you a good bottle of old wine and a flask of brandy."

Sebastiani let fly a few more jests, then took the lamp, made a last examination of the room and said to his sons: