with intense curiosity.

This extraordinary studio revealed a blood-freezing spectacle.

Facing him, immobile, rigid, was stationed a being whom Fandor had had
a fleeting glimpse of two or three times in his life. He had seen this
enigmatic and formidable being under circumstances so tragic, on
occasions so phenomenal, that this being's outline was graven on his
memory for ever!

There was the cloak of many folds, dense black; the hooded mask, the
large soft hat shading the eyes; the strange inimitable outline!...
Fandor was facing Fantomas!

Fantomas!

With bent shoulders and straining muscles, Fandor made desperate
attempts to free himself, the while his eyes were fixed on the
terrifying apparition confronting him!

It was a mocking Fantomas he saw; for the abominable bandit was
mocking him--was imitating his every gesture to the life!...

Fandor's gaze was fixed in an observing stare....

Did he not see cords binding the limbs of Fantomas? cords binding him
about the middle, constricting his whole body?

Was he in some hell nightmare?... Was he mad?... Who was this facing
him?... Why, _himself_!...

Fandor, whose image was reflected in a mirror facing him a yard or two
away! Fandor had been endowed with the outline of--Fantomas!...

From the throat of this Fandor-Fantomas issued a long-drawn howl of
rage!

XXXIII

RECONCILIATION

"Which do you prefer, Mademoiselle? The multi-coloured cockades or the
bows of ribbon in one shade? We have both in satin of the best
quality."

Wilhelmine de Naarboveck hesitated. The representative from "The
Ladies' Paradise" continued:

"The cockades of various colours do very well: they are gay, look
bright; but the bows of ribbon also produce an excellent effect--so
distinguished! Both articles are in great demand."

Wilhelmine answered at random:

"Oh, put in half of each!"

"And what quantity, Mademoiselle?"

"Oh, three hundred will be sufficient, I should think."

The shopwoman displayed her assortment of cotillion objects. She did
her part ably. But Wilhelmine de Naarboveck gave but a perfunctory
attention to this choosing of cotillion accessories.

The saleswoman was more and more astonished. She considered that were
her customer's orders executed to the letter she would have the oddest
assortment of cotillion accessories that could be imagined. She
adroitly called Wilhelmine's attention to this.

Realising that she had been giving orders at