She paused dramatically.
“Well?” said the Duke.
“Well, it was done.”
“What was done?” said the Duke.
“Everything,” said Germaine. “Pictures had gone, tapestries had gone, cabinets had gone, and the clock had gone.”
“And the coronet too?” said the Duke.
“Oh, no. That was at the Bank of France. And it was doubtless to make up for not getting it that Lupin stole your portrait. At any rate he didn’t say that he was going to steal it in his letter.”
“But, come! this is incredible. Had he hypnotized the corporal and the six soldiers? Or had he murdered them all?” said the Duke.
“Corporal? There wasn’t any corporal, and there weren’t any soldiers. The corporal was Lupin, and the soldiers were part of his gang,” said Germaine.
“I don’t understand,” said the Duke. “The colonel promised your father a corporal and six men. Didn’t they come?”