Bonavent took the letter, turned, and had taken one step towards the door when Lupin sprang. His arm went round the detective’s neck; he jerked him backwards off his feet, scragging him.
“Stir, and I’ll break your neck!” he cried in a terrible voice; and then he said quietly to Charolais, “Just take my pocket-book out of this fellow’s tunic.”
Charolais, with deft fingers, ripped open the detective’s tunic, and took out the pocket-book.
“This is what they call Jiu-jitsu, old chap! You’ll be able to teach it to your colleagues,” said Lupin. He loosed his grip on Bonavent, and knocked him straight with a thump in the back, and sent him flying across the room. Then he took the pocket-book from Charolais and made sure that its contents were untouched.
“Tell your master from me that if he wants to bring me down he’d better fire the gun himself,” said Lupin contemptuously. “Show the gentleman out, Charolais.”
Bonavent staggered to the door, paused, and turned on Lupin a face livid with fury.
“He will be here himself in ten minutes,” he said.
“Many thanks for the information,” said Lupin quietly.
CHAPTER XXII
THE BARGAIN
Charolais conducted the detective down the stairs and let him out of the front door, cursing and threatening vengeance as he went. Charolais took no notice of his words—he was the well-trained servant. He came back upstairs, and on the landing called to Victoire and Bernard. They came hurrying down; and the three of them went into the smoking-room.