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ce of paper rolled into a tiny pellet. "The foreign-post-paper," he whispered, himself greatly excited, with quivering hands. There was a long silence. All four felt as if their hearts were ready to burst from their bodies; and they were afraid of what was coming. "Please, please..." stammered Clarisse. Lupin unfolded the paper. There was a set of names written one below the other, twenty-seven of them, the twenty-seven names of the famous list: Langeroux, Dechaumont, Vorenglade, d'Albufex, Victorien Mergy and the rest. And, at the foot, the signature of the chairman of the Two-Seas Canal Company, the signature written in letters of blood. Lupin looked at his watch: "A quarter to one," he said. "We have twenty minutes to spare. Let's have some lunch." "But," said Clarisse, who was already beginning to lose her head, "don't forget..." He simply said: "All I know is that I'm dying of hunger." He sat down at the table, cut himself a large slice of cold pie and said to his accomplices: "Growler? A bite? You, Masher?" "I could do with a mouthful, governor." "Then hurry up, lads. And a glass of champage to wash it down with: it's the chloroform-patient's treat. Your health, Daubrecq! Sweet champagne? Dry champagne? Extra-dry?" CHAPTER XI. THE CROSS OF LORRAINE The moment Lupin had finished lunch, he at once and, so to speak, without transition, recovered all his mastery and authority. The time for joking was past; and he must no longer yield to his love of astonishing people with claptrap and conjuring tricks. Now that he had discovered the crystal stopper in the hiding-place which he had guessed with absolute certainty, now that he possessed the list of the Twenty-seven, it became a question of playing off the last game of the rubber without delay. It was child's play, no doubt, and what remained to be done presented no difficulty. Nevertheless, it was essential that he should perform these final actions with promptness, decision and infallible perspicacity. The smallest blunder was irretrievable. Lupin knew this; but his strangely lucid brain had allowed for every contingency. And the movements and words which he was now about to make and utter were all fully prepared and matured: "Growler, the commissionaire is waiting on the Boulevard Gambetta with his barrow and the trunk which we bought. Bring him here and have the trunk carried up. If the people of the hotel ask any que
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