"I wonder if Guerchard will take that view," said the Duke.
"Guerchard? Surely we're not going to be cluttered up with Guerchard. He has Lupin on the brain worse than any one else."
"But M. Gournay-Martin particularly asked me to send for Guerchard if I arrived too late to prevent the burglary. He would never forgive me if I had neglected his request: so I telephoned for him—to the Prefecture of Police," said the Duke.
"Oh, well, if you've already telephoned for him. But it was unnecessary—absolutely unnecessary," said M. Formery sharply.
"I didn't know," said the Duke politely.
"Oh, there was no harm in it—it doesn't matter," said M. Formery in a discontented tone with a discontented air.
He walked slowly round the room, paused by the windows, looked at the ladder, and scanned the garden:
"Arsène Lupin," he said scornfully. "Arsène Lupin doesn't leave traces all over the place. There's nothing but traces. Are we going to have that silly Lupin joke all over again?"
"I think, sir, that this time joke is the word, for this is a burglary pure and simple," said the inspector.
