There were fools in Berlin as well as in Paris; and he knew what he knew.

"Never a move shall he make that I shan't make the same; and in one thing I shall move first.

Two million francs! Handsome! It is I who must find this treasure, this fulcrum to the lever which is going to upheave France.

There will be no difficulty then in pricking the pretty bubble.

In the meantime we shall proceed to Munich and carefully inquire into the affairs of the grand opera singer, Hildegarde von Mitter." He extracted a wallet from an inner pocket and opened it across his knees.