kitchen, there
was a hollow where any number of things might be placed. For the moment
the board was still too little released for any maneuver to be possible.
Koupriane, when he rose, said to me, 'You have happened, madame, to
interrupt the person in her operations. But we are prepared henceforth.
We know what she does and she is unaware that we know. Act as though
you had not noticed anything; do not speak of it to anyone whatever--and
watch. Let the general continue to sit in his usual place and let no one
suspect that we have discovered the beginnings of this attempt. It is
the only way we can plan so that they will continue. All the same,' he
added, 'I will give my agents orders to patrol the ground-floor anew
during the night. I would be risking too much to let the person continue
her work each night. She might continue it so well that she would be
able to accomplish it--you understand me? But by day you arrange that
the rooms on the ground-floor be free from time to time--not for long,
but from time to time.' I don't know why, but what he said and the way
he said it frightened me more than ever. However, I carried out his
program. Then, three days later, about eight o'clock, when the night
watch was not yet started, that is to say at the moment when the police
were still all out in the garden or walking around the house, outside,
and when I had left the the ground-floor perfectly free while I helped
the general to bed, I felt drawn even against myself suddenly to the
dining-room. I lifted the carpet and examined the floor. Three more
nails had been drawn from the board, which lifted more easily now, and
under it, I could see that the normal cavity had been made wider still!"

When she had said this, Matrena stopped, as if, overcome, she could not
tell more.

"Well?" insisted Rouletabille.

"Well, I replaced things as I found them and made rapid inquiries of
the police and their chief; no one had entered the ground-floor. You
understand me?--no one at all. Neither had anyone come out from it."

"How could anyone come out if no one had entered?"

"I wish to say," said she with a sob, "that Natacha during this space of
time had been in her chamber, in her chamber on the ground-floor."

"You appear to be very disturbed, madame, at this recollection. Can you
tell me further, and precisely, why you are agitated?"

"You understand me, surely," she said, shaking her head.

"If I understand you correctly, I have