"Yes; this one. And it was cheap at the price. Of course, the Armands knew nothing about the Montespan story—they were simply selling at a profit."
"But I don't understand!" I stammered. "Vantine told me himself that he did not buy that cabinet."
"Nor did he. But somebody bought it in his name and directed that it be sent forward to him."
"And paid fifteen thousand francs for it?"
"Certainly—and paid fifteen thousand francs to the Armands."
"Rather an expensive present," I said, feebly, for my brain was beginning to whirl again.
"Oh, it wasn't intended as a present. The purchaser planned to reclaim it—but Vantine's death threw him out. If it hadn't been for that—for an accident which no one could foresee—everything would have gone along smoothly and no one would ever have been the wiser."
"But what was his object? Was he trying to evade the duty?"
"Oh, nothing so small as that! Besides, he would have had to refund the duty to Vantine. Did he refund it to you?"
"No," I said, "I didn't think there was any to refund. Vantine really paid the duty only on the cabinet he purchased, since that was the one shown on his manifest. The other fellow must have paid the duty on the cabinet he brought in; so I didn't see that there was anything coming to Vantine's estate. There is probably something due the government, for the cabinet Vantine brought in was, of course, much more valuable than his manifest showed."