Part 153 (2/2)
This calm, abrupt man was both terrifying and rea.s.suring at one and the same time. He inspired fear and confidence. Marius related the adventure to him: That a person with whom he was not acquainted otherwise than by sight, was to be inveigled into a trap that very evening; that, as he occupied the room adjoining the den, he, Marius Pontmercy, a lawyer, had heard the whole plot through the part.i.tion; that the wretch who had planned the trap was a certain Jondrette; that there would be accomplices, probably some prowlers of the barriers, among others a certain Panchaud, alias Printanier, alias Bigrenaille; that Jondrette's daughters were to lie in wait; that there was no way of warning the threatened man, since he did not even know his name; and that, finally, all this was to be carried out at six o'clock that evening, at the most deserted point of the Boulevard de l'Hopital, in house No. 50-52.
At the sound of this number, the inspector raised his head, and said coldly:--
”So it is in the room at the end of the corridor?”
”Precisely,” answered Marius, and he added: ”Are you acquainted with that house?”
The inspector remained silent for a moment, then replied, as he warmed the heel of his boot at the door of the stove:--
”Apparently.”
He went on, muttering between his teeth, and not addressing Marius so much as his cravat:--
”Patron-Minette must have had a hand in this.”
This word struck Marius.
”Patron-Minette,” said he, ”I did hear that word p.r.o.nounced, in fact.”
And he repeated to the inspector the dialogue between the long-haired man and the bearded man in the snow behind the wall of the Rue du Pet.i.t-Banquier.
The inspector muttered:--
”The long-haired man must be Brujon, and the bearded one Demi-Liard, alias Deux-Milliards.”
He had dropped his eyelids again, and became absorbed in thought.
”As for Father What's-his-name, I think I recognize him. Here, I've burned my coat. They always have too much fire in these cursed stoves.
Number 50-52. Former property of Gorbeau.”
Then he glanced at Marius.
”You saw only that bearded and that long-haired man?”
”And Panchaud.”
”You didn't see a little imp of a dandy prowling about the premises?”
”No.”
”Nor a big lump of matter, resembling an elephant in the Jardin des Plantes?”
”No.”
”Nor a scamp with the air of an old red tail?”
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