“Oh, oh, oh,” moaned Matrena, who paled visibly.  “And that hole?”

“It exists.”

“You have discovered it?”

“Yes, the first hour I was here.”

“Oh, domovoi!  But how did you do that when you never entered the general’s chamber until to-night?”

“Doubtless, but I went up that servants’ staircase much earlier than that.  And I will tell you why.  When I was brought into the villa the first time, and you watched me, bidden behind the door, do you know what I was watching myself, while I appeared to be solely occupied digging out the caviare?  The fresh print of boot-nails which left the carpet near the table, where someone had spilled beer (the beer was still running down the cloth).  Someone had stepped in the beer.  The boot-print was not clearly visible excepting there.  But from there it went to the door of the servants’ stairway and mounted the stairs.  That boot was too fine to be mounting a stairway reserved to servants and that Koupriane told me had been condemned, and it was that made me notice it in a moment; but just then you entered.”

“You never told me anything about it.  Of course if I had known there was a boot-print...”

“I didn’t tell you anything about it because I had my reasons for that, and, anyway, the trace dried while I was telling you about my journey.”

“Ah, why not have told me later?”

“Because I didn’t know you yet.”

“Subtle devil!  You will kill me.  I can no longer...  Let us go into the general’s chamber.  We will wake him.”

“Remain here.  Remain here.  I have not told you anything.  That boot-print preoccupied me, and later, when I could get away from the dining-room, I was not easy until I had climbed that stairway myself and gone to see that door, where I discovered what I have just told you and what I am going to tell you now.”

“What?  What?  In all you have said there has been nothing about the hat-pins.”

“We have come to them now.”

“And the bouquet attack, which is going to happen again?  Why?  Why?”

“This is it.  When this evening you let me go to the general’s chamber, I examined the bolt of the door without your suspecting it.  My opinion was confirmed.  It was that way that the bomb was brought, and it is by that way that someone has prepared to return.”

“But how?  You are sure the little hole is the way someone came?  But what makes you think that is how they mean to return?  You know well enough that, not having succeeded in the general’s chamber, they are at work in the dining-room.”

“Madame, it is probable, it is certain that they have given up the work in the dining-room since they have commenced this very day working again in the general’s chamber.  Yes, someone returned, returned that way, and I was so sure of that, of the forthcoming return, that I removed the police in order to be able to study everything more at my ease.  Do you understand now my confidence and why I have been able to assume so heavy a responsibility?  It is because I knew I had only one thing to watch:  one little hat-pin.  It is not difficult, madame, to watch a single little hat-pin.”