I got to my feet all of a-quiver, my legs virtually giving way under me.
"Open up!" the same voice repeated.
Seeing that flight was impossible, I stumbled towards the door and turned the key to unlock it.
Two fists instantly clamped themselves on my shoulders. A short thickset man, smelling of wine, said to me:
"I'm arresting you!"
He was wearing a bottle-green frock coat buttoned up to the chin, a stovepipe hat…had great brown sideburns…rings on all his fingers and was called Passauf…
He was the chief of police.
Five bulldog heads adorned with flat caps, with long, sharp noses and lower jaws protruding like hooks, were watching me from outside the door.
"What do you want?" I asked Passauf.
"Come downstairs with us," he shouted out abruptly, motioning to one of his men to grab me.