er
that if he had not been afraid of the muscular strength of his
future mother-in-law, he would have rushed upon her with some frantic
intention.

His anger, however, spent itself in words. Harshly abused, Madame
Cardinal contented herself by remarking that all hope was not lost, and
then, with a faith that ought to have moved mountains, she set to work
to empty the straw from the mattress she had already vainly explored
in all directions. But Cerizet would not allow that extreme measure; he
remarked that after the autopsy of a straw mattress such detritus would
remain upon the floor as must infallibly give rise to suspicion. But
the Cardinal, who thought this caution ridiculous, was determined to,
at least, take apart the flock bedstead. The passion of the search gave
extraordinary vigilance to her senses, and as she raised the wooden
side-frame she heard the fall of some tiny object on the floor. Seizing
the light she began to search in the mound of filth of all kinds that
was under the bed, and finally laid her hand on a bit of polished steel
about half an inch long, the use of which was to her inexplicable.

"That's a key!" cried Cerizet, who was standing beside her with some
indifference, but whose imagination now set off at a gallop.

"Ha! ha! you see I was right," cried the Cardinal. "But what can it
open?" she added, on reflection; "nothing bigger than a doll's house."

"No," said Cerizet, "it is a modern invention, and very strong locks can
be opened with that little instrument."

With a rapid glance he took in all the pieces of furniture in the room;
went to the bureau and pulled out the drawers; looked in the stove, in
the table; but nowhere did he find a lock to which the little key could
be adapted.

Suddenly the Cardinal had a flash of illumination.

"See here!" she said. "I remarked that the old thief, as he lay on his
bed, never took his eyes off the wall just opposite to him."

"A cupboard hidden in the wall!" cried Cerizet, seizing the light
eagerly; "it is not impossible!"

Examining attentively the door of the alcove, which was opposite the
bed's head, he could see nothing there but a vast accumulation of dust
and spiders' webs. He next employed the sense of touch, and began to rap
and sound the wall in all directions. At the spot to which Toupillier's
constant gaze was directed he thought he perceived in a very narrow
space a slight sonority, and he presently perceived that he was rapping