was called Port-Lupin, when,
at the foot of the cliff, he saw the uprights of an iron ladder.

"Isidore," said Lupin, "if you knew your geography and your history,
you would know that we are at the bottom of the gorge of Parfonval, in
the parish of Biville. More than a century ago, on the night of the
twenty-third of August, 1803, Georges Cadoudal and six accomplices, who
had landed in France with the intention of kidnapping the first consul,
Bonaparte, scrambled up to the top by the road which I will show you.
Since then, this road has been demolished by landslips. But Louis
Valmeras, better known by the name of Arsene Lupin, had it restored at
his own expense and bought the farm of the Neuvillette, where the
conspirators spent the first night and where, retired from business and
withdrawing from the affairs of this world, he means to lead the life
of a respectable country squire with his wife and his mother by his
side. The gentleman-burglar is dead! Long live the gentleman-farmer!"

After the ladder came a sort of gully, an abrupt ravine hollowed out,
apparently, by the rains, at the end of which they laid hold of a
makeshift staircase furnished with a hand-rail. As Lupin explained,
this hand-rail had been placed where it was in the stead of the
estamperche, a long rope fastened to stakes, by which the people of the
country, in the old days, used to help themselves down when going to
the beach.

After a painful climb of half an hour, they emerged on the tableland,
not far from one of those little cabins, dug out of the soil itself,
which serve as shelters for the excisemen. And, as it happened, two
minutes later, at a turn in the path, one of these custom-house
officials appeared.

He drew himself up and saluted.

Lupin asked:

"Any news, Gomel?"

"No, governor."

"You've met no one at all suspicious-looking?"

"No, governor--only--"

"What?"

"My wife--who does dressmaking at the Neuvillette--"

"Yes, I know--Cesarine--my mother spoke of her. Well?"

"It seems a sailor was prowling about the village this morning."

"What sort of face had he?"

"Not a natural face--a sort of Englishman's face."

"Ah!" said Lupin, in a tone preoccupied. "And you have given Cesarine
orders--"

"To keep her eyes open. Yes, governor."

"Very well. Keep a lookout for Charolais's return in two or three hours
from now. If there's anything, I shall be at the farm."

He walked on and said to Beautrelet:

"This mak