"And the contents of this letter are already in the hands of the police?"
"Yes. Will you have the kindness to give me the key to the cipher?"
"Sir," said I, "you know well that every correspondence has secrets which cannot be disclosed to a stranger!"
"I assure you that the Police Department is just as silent with respect to the secrets that are entrusted to it, as the tongueless stone lions on St. Mark's Square in Venice."
"And what will be the consequence if I refuse to give you the key?"
"If they offer to shoot me," I thought, "I will not tell."
"If you refuse, you will be conducted to the Belgian frontier without a moment's delay."
"No, thank you," I thought; "I'll have none of that."
So I invited him into my room, and together we solved the contents of both letters.
The first was that of the agent, the second was my answer, which consisted of the following words:—