"He made me, then, observe, that if he would not go on this 'lay,' he did not desire to discourage any other person, and that you would willingly lend a hand in the affair."
"May I, without impertinence, ask why you appointed a meeting with the Chourineur at St. Ouen yesterday, which gave him the advantage of meeting the Chouette? He was too much puzzled at my question to give me a clear answer."
Rodolph bit his lips imperceptibly, and replied, shrugging his shoulders:
"Very likely; for I only told him half my plan, you must know, not knowing if he had made up his mind."
"That was very proper."
"The more so as I had two strings to my bow."
"You are a careful man. You met the Chourineur, then, at St. Ouen, for—"
Rodolph, after a moment's hesitation, had the good luck to think of a story which would account for the want of address which the Chourineur had displayed, and said:
"Why, this it is. The attempt I propose is a famous one, because the person in question is in the country; all my fear was that he should return to Paris. To make sure, I went to Pierrefitte, where his country-house is situated, and there I learned that he would not be back again until the day after to-morrow."
"Well, but to return to my question; why did you appoint to meet the Chourineur at St. Ouen?"