through glass. But it preserves them, and we should
always be ready and willing to sacrifice a portion of
our own pleasure for the benefit of posterity. France
demands it of us.--A. L."


The Duke laughed, and said, "Really, this is extraordinarily funny.
It must have made your father laugh."

"Laugh?" said Germaine. "You should have seen his face. He took it
seriously enough, I can tell you."

"Not to the point of forwarding the things to Batignolles, I hope,"
said the Duke.

"No, but to the point of being driven wild," said Germaine. "And
since the police had always been baffled by Lupin, he had the
brilliant idea of trying what soldiers could do. The Commandant at
Rennes is a great friend of papa's; and papa went to him, and told
him about Lupin's letter and what he feared. The colonel laughed at
him; but he offered him a corporal and six soldiers to guard his
collection, on the night of the seventh. It was arranged that they
should come from Rennes by the last train so that the burglars
should have no warning of their coming. Well, they came, seven
picked men--men who had seen service in Tonquin. We gave them
supper; and then the corporal posted them in the hall and the two
drawing-rooms where the pictures and things were. At eleven we all
went to bed, after promising the corporal that, in the event of any
fight with the burglars, we would not stir from our rooms. I can
tell you I felt awfully nervous. I couldn't get to sleep for ages