Four days of silence, and then this final note, which caused a stir that has not yet been forgotten:
"My investigation is finished. I now know everything.
"By dint of reflection, I have guessed the secret of the hiding-place.
"My friends are going to Veldenz and, in spite of every obstacle, will enter the castle by a way which I am pointing out to them.
"The newspapers will then publish photographs of the letters, of which I already know the tenor; but I prefer to reproduce the whole text.
"This certain, inevitable publication will take place in a fortnight from to-day precisely, on the 22nd of August next.
"Between this and then I will keep silence . . . and wait."
The communications to the Grand Journal did, in fact, stop for a time, but Lupin never ceased corresponding with his friends, "via the hat," as they said among themselves. It was so simple! There was no danger. Who could ever suspect that Maître Quimbel's hat served Lupin as a letter-box?
Every two or three mornings, whenever he called, in fact, the celebrated advocate faithfully brought his client's letters: letters from Paris, letters from the country, letters from Germany; all reduced and condensed by Doudeville into a brief form and cipher language. And, an hour later, Maître Quimbel solemnly walked away, carrying Lupin's orders.