y, it's too childish! What are we doing? We ought to be in
Paris, not here!... Just think!..."

He was on the point of opening the door and jumping out on the permanent
way. But his companions held him back. The train started. He sat down
again.

And they continued their mad pursuit, travelling at random, toward the
unknown...

And this happened two days before the inevitable execution of Gilbert
and Vaucheray.

CHAPTER X. EXTRA-DRY?

On one of the hills that girdle Nice with the finest scenery in the
world, between the Vallon de Saint-Silvestre and the Vallon de La
Mantega, stands a huge hotel which overlooks the town and the wonderful
Baie des Anges. A crowd flocks to it from all parts, forming a medley of
every class and nation.

On the evening of the same Saturday when Lupin, the Growler and the
Masher were plunging into Italy, Clarisse Mergy entered this hotel,
asked for a bedroom facing south and selected No. 130, on the second
floor, a room which had been vacant since that morning.

The room was separated from No. 129 by two partition-doors. As soon as
she was alone, Clarisse pulled back the curtain that concealed the first
door, noiselessly drew the bolt and put her ear to the second door:

"He is here," she thought. "He is dressing to go to the club... as he
did yesterday."

When her neighbour had gone, she went into the passage and, availing
herself of a moment when there was no one in sight, walked up to the
door of No. 129. The door was locked.

She waited all the evening for her neighbour's return and did not go to
bed until two o'clock. On Sunday morning, she resumed her watch.

The neighbour went out at eleven. This time he left the key in the door.

Hurriedly turning the key, Clarisse entered boldly, went to the
partition-door, raised the curtain, drew the bolt and found herself in
her own room.

In a few minutes, she heard two chambermaids doing the room in No. 129.

She waited until they were gone. Then, feeling sure that she would not
be disturbed, she once more slipped into the other room.

Her excitement made her lean against a chair. After days and nights of
stubborn pursuit, after alternate hopes and disappointments, she had at
last succeeded in entering a room occupied by Daubrecq. She could look
about at her ease; and, if she did not discover the crystal stopper, she
could at least hide in the space between the partition-doors, behind the
hanging, see Daubrecq, spy upon hi