"Ah," cried he, "and we know not where the wretch has hid himself and
Laurence."
The detective took him by the arm and pressed it.
"Reassure yourself," said he, coolly. "We'll find him, or my name's not
Lecoq; and to be honest, I must say that our task does not seem to me a
difficult one."
Several timid knocks at the door interrupted the speaker. It was late,
and the household was already awake and about. Mme. Petit in her anxiety
and curiosity had put her ear to the key-hole at least ten times, but in
vain.
"What can they be up to in there?" said she to Louis. "Here they've been
shut up these twelve hours without eating or drinking. At all events
I'll get breakfast."
It was not Mme. Petit, however, who dared to knock on the door; but
Louis, the gardener, who came to tell his master of the ravages which
had been made in his flower-pots and shrubs. At the same time he brought
in certain singular articles which he had picked up on the sward, and
which M. Lecoq recognized at once.
"Heavens!" cried he, "I forgot myself. Here I go on quietly talking with
my face exposed, as if it was not broad daylight; and people might come
in at any moment!" And turning to Louis, who was very much surprised to
see this dark young man whom he had certainly not admitted the night
before, he added:
"Give me those little toilet articles, my good fellow; they belong to
me."
Then, by a turn of his hand, he readjusted his physiognomy of last
night, while the master of the house went out to give some orders, which
M. Lecoq did so deftly, that when M. Plantat returned, he could scarcely
believe his eyes.
They sat down to breakfast and ate their meal as silently as they had
done the dinner of the evening before, losing no time about it. They
appreciated the value of the passing moments; M. Domini was waiting for
them at Corbeil, and was doubtless getting impatient at their delay.
Louis had just placed a sumptuous dish of fruit upon the table, when it
occurred to M. Lecoq that Robelot was still shut up in the closet.
"Probably the rascal needs something," said he.