Then Ravengar wandered into his thoughts and confused them.

Just as he was assuming his waistcoat, Simon entered.

‘Mr. Galpin, sir.’

‘And who the d—–­l is Mr. Galpin?’ asked Hugo.

‘Mr. Galpin is the gentleman who saved your life yesterday, sir,’ said Simon with admirable sangfroid.  ‘He has called for a hundred pounds.’

‘Show him in here immediately,’ said Hugo.

Mr. Galpin appeared in the dressing-room, looking more than ever like an extremely successful commercial traveller.  Hugo could not think of any introductory remark worthy of the occasion.

‘I needn’t say how grateful I am,’ Hugo began.

‘Certainly you needn’t,’ said Mr. Galpin.  ’I understand.  I’ve been under lock and key myself.’

‘I should offer you more than this paltry sum,’ said Hugo, with a smile, ’but I know, of course, that a man like you can always obtain all the money he really wants.’

Mr. Galpin smiled, too.

‘However,’ continued Hugo, detaching his watch from his waistcoat, ’I will ask you to take something that you can’t get elsewhere.  This is the thinnest watch in the world.  Breguet, of the Rue de la Paix, Paris, made it specially for me.  It is exactly the same size as a five-shilling piece.  It repeats the quarters, shows the time in four cities, and does practically everything except tell the weather and the political party in power.  It has one drawback.  Only Breguet can clean it, and he will charge you five guineas for the job, besides probably having you arrested for unlawful possession.  I must write to him.  Such as it is, accept it.’

The golden, jewelled toy was offered and received with a bow.  The practised hands of Mr. Galpin had opened the case in two seconds.

‘How do you regulate it?’ demanded Mr. Galpin, staring at the movement.

‘You don’t,’ said Hugo proudly; ‘it never needs it.’

Mr. Galpin stood corrected.

‘If there’s anything in my line I can do for you at any time, sir,’ said he.

Hugo pondered.

Mr. Galpin put the watch in his waistcoat-pocket, and, tearing the hundred-pound note in two halves, placed one half in the left breast pocket of his coat, and the other half in the right breast pocket of his coat.

‘Could you have opened that vault,’ Hugo asked, ’if both keys had been lost?’

’No, sir, I could not.  It’s such people as you who are ruining my profession, sir.’

‘You think the vault is impregnable?’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Mr. Galpin.  ’I should say its name was just about as near being Gibraltar as makes no matter.’

‘I was only wondering,’ Hugo mused aloud, ’only wondering....  Ah, well, I won’t trouble you with my fancies.’

‘As you wish, sir.  Good-bye.’

‘Good-bye, Mr. Galpin.  And thank you!’

‘Thank you, sir,’ said Mr. Galpin, and disappeared.