"It is true that luck has been against me since yesterday; but no matter! we must be satisfied with walking, not running, that's all. Though to-day is a failure, in view of immediate results, I wouldn't take twenty thousand francs for it."
"Ah, ha! you are sure of that?"
"Yes, very sure. The proof is that I've got hold of something already."
"What?"
"This," said Courtin, showing the letter he had just unsealed and read.
"A letter?"
"A letter."
"What's in it?" said the man in the cloak, putting out his hand to take the paper.
"One moment. We will read it together. I prefer to hold it, because it is intrusted to me for delivery."
"Well, let us read it," said the man.