"And you agree?"
"I agree to all your conditions."
"Ah!" exclaimed the astonished Englishman. "But ... you refused just now ... for yourself...."
"It was a question of myself, Mr. Shears. Now it involves a woman ... and a woman whom I love. You see, we have very peculiar ideas about these things in France, and it does not follow that, because a man's name is Lupin, he will act differently: on the contrary!"
He said this quite simply. Shears gave him an imperceptible nod and whispered:
"Where is the blue diamond?"
"Take my cane, over there, in the chimney corner. Hold the knob in one hand and turn the iron ferrule with the other."
Shears took the cane, turned the ferrule and, as he turned it, perceived that the knob became unscrewed. Inside the knob was a ball of putty. Inside the putty a diamond.
He examined it. It was the blue diamond.
"Mlle. Destange is free, M. Lupin."