He found a paved courtyard, which he crossed briskly, and mounted the steps of a pillared peristyle, on which the windows looked out. These were all closed to the very top, with full shutters. As he stood thinking how he should make his way into the house, the door was half opened, with a noise of iron that reminded him of the door in the Villa Dupont, and Altenheim appeared:
"I say, prince, is that the way you trespass on private property? I shall be forced to call in the gendarmes, my dear fellow!"
Sernine caught him by the throat and, throwing him down on a bench:
"Geneviève? . . . Where is Geneviève? If you don't tell me what you've done with her, you villain. . . ."
"Please observe," stammered the baron, "that you are making it impossible for me to speak."
Sernine released his hold of him:
"To the point! . . . And look sharp! . . . Answer. . . . Geneviève?"
"There is one thing," replied the baron, "which is much more urgent, especially where fellows like you and me are concerned, and that is to feel one's self at home. . . ."
And he carefully closed the front door, which he barricaded with bolts. Then, leading Sernine to the adjoining drawing-room, a room without furniture or curtains, he said:
"Now I'm your man. What can I do for you, prince?"