rough precipice by the shaking up they're giving
me!"

XIX

CRIMINAL OR VICTIM?

At the bottom of his trunk Jerome Fandor was foaming with rage, furious
at being caught in the trap and uneasy as to how this adventure would
end.

Whilst he was realising that his unknown porters were carrying their
heavy weight with difficulty to the pavement of rue Raffet, he made up
his mind to a definite course of action: regardless of consequences, he
was going to shout, move about, make a regular disturbance, rouse the
attention of the passers-by--if there happened to be any--but, at all
costs, he meant to get out of the trap!... He saw a ray of hope: Madame
Bourrat had accompanied her visitors as far as the gate. In presence of
such a witness, they would, at least, hesitate to do him serious bodily
harm when he made his presence unmistakably known, furious though they
would be. He would take every advantage of the situation....

Fandor was about to act: a second more and he would have started, when
he heard them speaking. He kept quiet.

"We must have a taxi, or at the very least a cab to transport this big
trunk. Do you know where one is likely to be found?"

"I doubt if one will be passing at this hour, monsieur. We retire early
in these parts; but, if you like, Jules can go to the station."

"That's settled. Let him go as fast as he can!"

"Well, that is reassuring," thought Fandor. "If these fine fellows take
a cab, it is not with the intention of chucking my cage and me into the
river--and that is what I feared most. They may be going to leave me in
a cloak-room till called for; or they may pack us off as luggage to some
destination unknown! ... Oh, well, I shall only be a traveller without a
ticket and I shall be sure to find some way out of the difficulty! And
then, what stuff for an article I shall have when I get back to _La
Capitale_!... What must they be thinking at the offices! It's
forty-eight hours since I put foot in them! Never mind! When they
know!..."

Fandor was listening with all his ears; but the bandits had little to
say; and, when they did speak, their voices were plainly disguised. Was
it as a general precaution, or was it on account of Madame Bourrat?...
But, unless they were known to her, why the necessity? If, however, she
knew one or more of them personally, why, they must have disguised their
faces and figures as well as their voices!... If only he could have a
peep at them!

The s