“Two years ago, in other words, three years after the pretended death of Arsene Lupin, the police, having discovered or believing they had discovered that Arsene Lupin was really none other than one Floriani, born at Blois and since lost to sight, caused the register to be inscribed, on the page relating to this Floriani, with the word ‘Deceased,’ followed by the words ‘Under the alias of Arsene Lupin.’

“Consequently, to bring Arsene Lupin back to life, there would be wanted something more than the undeniable proof of his existence, which would not be impossible.  The most complicated wheels in the administrative machine would have to be set in motion, and a decree obtained from the Council of State.

“Now it would seem that M. Valenglay, the Prime Minister, together with the Prefect of Police, is opposed to making any too minute inquiries capable of opening up a scandal which the authorities are anxious to avoid.  Bring Arsene Lupin back to life?  Recommence the struggle with that accursed scoundrel?  Risk a fresh defeat and fresh ridicule?  No, no, and again no!

“And thus is brought about this unprecedented, inadmissible, inconceivable, disgraceful situation, that Arsene Lupin, the hardened thief, the impenitent criminal, the robber-king, the emperor of burglars and swindlers, is able to-day, not clandestinely, but in the sight and hearing of the whole world, to pursue the most formidable task that he has yet undertaken, to live publicly under a name which is not his own, but which he has incontestably made his own, to destroy with impunity four persons who stood in his way, to cause the imprisonment of an innocent woman against whom he himself has accumulated false evidence, and at the end of all, despite the protests of common sense and thanks to an unavowed complicity, to receive the hundred millions of the Mornington legacy.

“There is the ignominious truth in a nutshell.  It is well that it should be stated.  Let us hope, now that it stands revealed, that it will influence the future conduct of events.”

“At any rate, it will influence the conduct of the idiot who wrote that article,” said Lupin, with a grin.

He dismissed Mlle. Levasseur and rang up Major d’Astrignac on the telephone.

“Is that you, Major?  Perenna speaking.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Have you read the article in the Echo de France?”

“Yes.”

“Would it bore you very much to call on that gentleman and ask for satisfaction in my name?”

“Oh!  A duel!”

“It’s got to be, Major.  All these sportsmen are wearying me with their lucubrations.  They must be gagged.  This fellow will pay for the rest.”

“Well, of course, if you’re bent on it—­”

“I am, very much.”

* * * * *

The preliminaries were entered upon without delay.  The editor of the Echo de France declared that the article had been sent in without a signature, typewritten, and that it had been published without his knowledge; but he accepted the entire responsibility.