But after she was
set free, Celeste did not come to us as she had promise'. We saw that
she suspected us, that she wish' to have nothing more to do with us;
so Victor commanded that I write another letter, imploring her,
offering to explain." She stopped a moment to control herself. "Ah,
when I think of it! She came, monsieur. We took from her her gown and
put it on Cecile. She never left the place again until the carriage
stopped to take her to the boat. As for us--we were his slaves--he
guided each step--he seemed to think of everything--to be prepared for
everything--he planned and planned."
There was no need that she should tell me more--the whole plot lay
bare before me--simple enough, now that I understood it, and carried
out with what consummate finish!
"One thing more," I said. "The gold."
She drew a key from her pocket and gave it to me.
"It is in a box upstairs," she said. "This is the key. We have not
touched it."
I took the key and followed her to the floor above. The box, of heavy
oak bound with iron, with steamship and express labels fresh upon it,
stood in one corner. I unlocked it and threw back the lid. Package
upon package lay in it, just as they had come from the sub-treasury. I
locked the box again, and put the key in my pocket.
"Of course," I said, as I turned to go, "I can only repeat your story
to my companion.
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