judge by the
reverberation of the blows that his men were attacking the last door
but one, the door that gave access to the knicknack-room.

"Let us leave the chest open," said Lupin, "and all the cavities, too,
all those little empty graves."

He went round the room, examined some of the glass cases, gazed at some
of the pictures and, as he walked, said, pensively:

"How sad it is to leave all this! What a wrench! The happiest hours of
my life have been spent here, alone, in the presence of these objects
which I loved. And my eyes will never behold them again and my hands
will never touch them again--"

His drawn face bore such an expression of lassitude upon it that
Beautrelet felt a vague sort of pity for him. Sorrow in that man must
assume larger proportions than in another, even as joy did, or pride,
or humiliation. He was now standing by the window, and, with his finger
pointing to the horizon, said:

"What is sadder still is that I must abandon that, all that! How
beautiful it is! The boundless sea--the sky.--On either side, the
cliffs of Etretat with their three natural archways: the Porte
d'Armont, the Porte d'Aval, the Manneporte--so many triumphal arches
for the master. And the master was I! I was the king of the story, the
king of fairyland, the king of the Hollow Needle! A strange and
supernatural kingdom! From Caesar to Lupin: what a destiny!" He burst
out laughing. "King of fairyland! Why not say King of Yvetot at once?
What nonsense! King of the world, yes, that's more like it! From this
topmost point of the Needle, I ruled the globe! I held it in my claws
like a prey! Lift the tiara of Saitapharnes, Beautrelet.--You see those
two telephones? The one on the right communicates with Paris: a private
line; the one on the left with London: a private line. Through London,
I am in touch with America, Asia, Australia, South Africa. In all those
continents, I have my offices, my agents, my jackals, my scouts! I
drive an international trade. I hold the great market in art and
antiquities, the world's fair! Ah, Beautrelet, there are moments when
my power turns my head! I feel intoxicated with strength and authority."

The door gave way below. They heard Ganimard and his men running about
and searching.

After a moment, Lupin continued, in a low voice:

"And now it's over. A little girl crossed my path, a girl with soft
hair and wistful eyes and an honest, yes, an honest soul--and it's
over. I myself am d