“And here I am,” said Beautrelet, approvingly.
I motioned them to be seated. They consented and Lupin resumed, in that tone of imperceptible banter which is all his own:
“In any case, M. Beautrelet, if you will not accept my thanks, you will at least not refuse my apologies.”
“Apologies! Bless my soul, what for?”
“For the brutality which Master Brédoux showed you.”
“I confess that the act surprised me. It was not Lupin’s usual way of behaving. A stab—”
“I assure you I had no hand in it. Brédoux is a new recruit. My friends, during the time that they had the management of our affairs, thought that it might be useful to win over to our cause the clerk of the magistrate himself who was conducting the inquiry.”
“Your friends were right.”
“Brédoux, who was specially attached to your person, was, in fact, most valuable to us. But, with the ardor peculiar to any neophyte who wishes to distinguish himself, he pushed his zeal too far and thwarted my plans by permitting himself, on his own initiative, to strike you a blow.”
“Oh, it was a little accident!”