upin, in a trembling voice; and he
kissed Sonia's lips and eyes and hair. "To think that you love me
enough to go on loving me in spite of this--in spite of the fact that
I'm Arsene Lupin. Oh, after this, I'll become an honest man! It's the
least I can do. I'll retire."

"You will?" cried Sonia.

"Upon my soul, I will!" cried Lupin; and he kissed her again and again.

Guerchard came back into the room. He looked at them with a cynical
grin, and said, "Time's up."

"Oh, Guerchard, after so many others, I owe you the best minute of my
life!" cried Lupin.

Bonavent, still in his porter's livery, came hurrying through the
anteroom: "Master," he cried, "I've found it."

"Found what?" said Guerchard.

"The secret entrance. It opens into that little side street. We haven't
got the door open yet; but we soon shall."

"The last link in the chain," said Guerchard, with warm satisfaction.
"Come along, Lupin."

"But he's going to take you away! We're going to be separated!" cried
Sonia, in a sudden anguish of realization.

"It's all the same to me now!" cried Lupin, in the voice of a conqueror.

"Yes, but not to me!" cried Sonia, wringing her hands.

"Now you must keep calm and go. I'm not going to prison," said Lupin,
in a low voice. "Wait in the hall, if you can. Stop and talk to
Victoire; condole with her. If they turn you out of the house, wait
close to the front door."

"Come, mademoiselle," said Guerchard. "You must go."

"Go, Sonia, go--good-bye--good-bye," said Lupin; and he kissed her.

She went quietly out of the room, her handkerchief to her eyes.
Guerchard held open the door for her, and kept it open, with his hand
still on the handle; he said to Lupin: "Come along."

Lupin yawned, stretched himself, and said coolly, "My dear Guerchard,
what I want after the last two nights is rest--rest." He walked quickly
across the room and stretched himself comfortably at full length on the
couch.

"Come, get up," said Guerchard roughly. "The prison-van is waiting for
you. That ought to fetch you out of your dream."

"Really, you do say the most unlucky things," said Lupin gaily.

He had resumed his flippant, light-hearted air; his voice rang as
lightly and pleasantly as if he had not a care in the world.

"Do you mean that you refuse to come?" cried Guerchard in a rough,
threatening tone.

"Oh, no," said Lupin quickly: and he rose.

"Then come along!" said Guerchard.

"No," said Lupin, "after all, it's