“Then why did they chase you last night?” said Charolais.
“The coronet,” said Lupin. “Wasn’t that reason enough? But, as it turned out, they didn’t catch me: and when the detectives did come here, they disturbed me in my sleep. And that me was ever so much more me than the man they followed. And then the proofs ... they must have proofs. There aren’t any—or rather, what there are, I’ve got!” He pointed to a small safe let into the wall. “In that safe are the coronet, and, above all, the death certificate of the Duke of Charmerace ... everything that Guerchard must have to induce M. Formery to proceed. But still, there is a risk—I think I’d better have those things handy in case I have to bolt.”
He went into his bedroom and came back with the key of the safe and a kit-bag. He opened the safe and took out the coronet, the real coronet of the Princesse de Lamballe, and along with it a pocket-book with a few papers in it. He set the pocket-book on the table, ready to put in his coat-pocket when he should have dressed, and dropped the coronet into the kit-bag.
“I’m glad I have that death certificate; it makes it much safer,” he said. “If ever they do nab me, I don’t wish that rascal Guerchard to accuse me of having murdered the Duke. It might prejudice me badly. I’ve not murdered anybody yet.”
“That comes of having a good heart,” said Victoire proudly.
“Not even the Duke of Charmerace,” said Charolais sadly. “And it would have been so easy when he was ill—just one little draught. And he was in such a perfect place—so out of the way—no doctors.”
“You do have such disgusting ideas, Charolais,” said Lupin, in a tone of severe reproof.
“Instead of which you went and saved his life,” said Charolais, in a tone of deep discontent; and he went on clearing the table.
“I did, I did: I had grown quite fond of him,” said Lupin, with a meditative air. “For one thing, he was so very like one. I’m not sure that he wasn’t even better-looking.”
“No; he was just like you,” said Victoire, with decision. “Any one would have said you were twin brothers.”