He at once, when Arsène Lupin asked him how long he meant to stay, led the conversation into its right channel and replied:
"That depends upon yourself, M. Lupin."
"Oh," exclaimed the other, laughing, "if it depended on me, I should ask you to take to-night's boat back."
"To-night is rather early. But I hope in a week or ten days...."
"Are you in such a hurry?"
"I am very busy. There's the robbery at the Anglo-Chinese Bank; and Lady Eccleston has been kidnapped, as you know.... Tell me, M. Lupin, do you think a week will do?"
"Amply, if you confine yourself to the two cases connected with the blue diamond. It will just give me time to take my precautions, supposing the solution of those two mysteries to give you certain advantages over me that might endanger my safety."
"Yes," said the Englishman, "I expect to have gained those advantages in a week or ten days."
"And to have me arrested on the eleventh?"
"On the tenth, at the very latest."