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〃You spoke just now；〃 replied du Portail； 〃of the cousin of Theodose；
Mademoiselle Lydie de la Peyrade。 This young woman； who is not in her
first youth； for she is nearly thirty； is the natural daughter of the
celebrated Mademoiselle Beaumesnil of the Theatre Francais and
Peyrade； the commissary…general of police under the Empire； and the
uncle of our friend。 Until his death； which occurred suddenly； leaving
his daughter； whom he loved tenderly； without means of support； I was
bound to that excellent man with the warmest friendship。〃
Glad to show that he had some knowledge of du Portail's interior life；
Cerizet hastened to remark：
〃And you have secretly fulfilled the duties of that friendship；
monsieur； for； in taking into your home that interesting orphan you
assumed a difficult guardianship。 Mademoiselle de la Peyrade's state
of health requires； I am told； a care not only affectionate； but
persevering。〃
〃Yes；〃 replied du Portail； 〃the poor girl； after the death of her
father； was so cruelly tried that her mind has been somewhat affected；
but a fortunate change has lately occurred in her condition； and only
yesterday I called in consultation Doctor Bianchon and the two
physicians…in…charge of Bicetre and the Salpetriere。 These gentlemen
unanimously declare that marriage and the birth of a first child would
undoubtedly restore her to perfect health。 You can readily understand
that the remedy is too easy and agreeable not to be attempted。〃
〃Then；〃 said Cerizet； 〃it is to Mademoiselle Lydie de la Peyrade； his
cousin； that you wish to marry Theodose。〃
〃You have said it；〃 returned du Portail； 〃and you must not think that
our young friend； if he accepts the marriage； will be called upon to
show a gratuitous devotion。 Lydie is very agreeable in person； she has
talents； a charming disposition； and she can bring to bear； in her
husband's interest； a strong influence in public life。 She has；
moreover； a pretty fortune； consisting of what her mother left her；
and of my entire property； which； having no heirs myself； I intend to
secure to her in the marriage contract。 Besides all this； she has this
very night acquired a not inconsiderable legacy。〃
〃What！〃 exclaimed Cerizet； 〃do you mean that old Toupillier〃
〃By a will in his own handwriting； which I have here； that old pauper
constitutes her his sole legatee。 You see； therefore； that I showed
some kindness in not proceeding against you and Madame Cardinal for
your little attempt last night； it was simply our property that you
were trying to pillage。〃
〃Heavens！〃 cried Cerizet； 〃I won't pretend to excuse Madame Cardinal's
misconduct； and yet； as one of the legal heirs； dispossessed by a
stranger； she had； it seems to me； some right to the indulgence which
you certainly showed to her。〃
〃In that you are mistaken；〃 said du Portail； 〃the apparent liberality
of the old beggar to Mademoiselle de la Peyrade happens to be only a
restitution。〃
〃A restitution！〃 exclaimed Cerizet； in a tone of curiosity。
〃A restitution；〃 repeated du Portail； 〃and nothing is easier than to
prove it。 Do you remember the robbery of some diamonds from one of our
dramatic celebrities about ten years ago？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Cerizet。 〃I was manager of one of my newspapers at the
time； and I used to write the 'Paris items。' But stay； I remember； the
actress who lost them was Mademoiselle Beaumesnil。〃
〃Precisely； the mother of Mademoiselle de la Peyrade。〃
〃Consequently； this miserable old Toupillierno； I remember that the
thief was convicted； his name was Charles Crochard。 It was said； under
the rose； that he was the natural son of a great personage； the Comte
de Granville； attorney…general under the Restoration。〃 ＇See 〃A Double
Life。〃＇
〃Well；〃 said du Portail； 〃this is how it happened。 The robbery was
committed in a house in the rue de Tournon； occupied by Mademoiselle
Beaumesnil。 Charles Crochard； who was a handsome fellow； was said to
have the run of it〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 cried Cerizet； 〃I remember Mademoiselle Beaumesnil's
embarrassment when she gave her testimonyand also the total
extinction of voice that attacked her when the judge asked her age。〃
〃The robbery；〃 continued du Portail； 〃was audaciously committed in the
daytime； and no sooner did Charles Crochard get possession of the
casket than he went to the church of Saint…Sulpice； where he had an
appointment with an accomplice； who； being supplied with a passport；
was to start immediately with the diamonds for foreign parts。 It so
chanced that on entering the church； instead of meeting the man he
expected； who was a trifle late； Charles Crochard came face to face
with a celebrated agent of the detective force； who was well known to
him； inasmuch as the young rascal was not at his first scrimmage with
the police。 The absence of his accomplice； this encounter with the
detective； and； lastly； a rapid movement made by the latter； by the
merest chance； toward the door； induced the robber to fancy he was
being watched。 Losing his head under this idea； he wanted； at any
cost； to put the casket out of his possession； knowing that if
arrested； as he expected； at the door of the church； it would be a
damning proof against him。 Catching sight at that moment of
Toupillier； who was then the giver of holy water； 'My man；' said he；
making sure that no one overheard their colloquy； 'will you take care
of this little package for me？ It is a box of lace。 I am going near by
to a countess who is slow to pay her bill； and if I have the lace with
me she'll want to see it； for it is a new style； and she'll ask me to
leave it with her on credit； instead of paying the bill； therefore I
don't want to take it。 But；' he added； 'be sure not to touch the paper
that wraps the box； for there's nothing harder than to do up a package
in the same folds'〃
〃The booby！〃 cried Cerizet； naively； 〃why； that very caution would
make the man want to open it。〃
〃You are an able casuist；〃 said du Portail。 〃Well； an hour later；
Charles Crochard； finding that nothing happened to him； returned to
the church to obtain his deposit； but Toupillier was no longer there。
You can imagine the anxiety with which Charles Crochard attended early
mass the next day； and approached the giver of holy water； who was
there； sure enough； attending to his functions。 But night； they say；
brings counsel； the worthy beggar audaciously declared that he had
received no package； and did not know what his interlocutor meant。〃
〃And there was no possibility of arguing with him； for that would be
exposure；〃 remarked Cerizet； who was not far from sympathizing in a
trick so boldly played。
〃No doubt；〃 resumed du Portail； 〃the robbery was already noised about；
and Toupillier； who was a very able fellow； had calculated that
Charles Crochard would not dare to publicly accuse him； for that would
reveal the theft。 In fact； on his trial Charles Crochard never said a
word of his mishap； and during the six years he spent at the galleys
（he was condemned to ten； but four were remitted） he did not open his
lips to a single soul about the treachery of which he had been a
victim。〃
〃That was pretty plucky；〃 said Cerizet； the tale excited him； and he
showed openly that he saw the matter as an artist and a connoisseur。
〃In that interval；〃 continued du Portail； 〃Madame Beaumesnil died；
leaving her daughter a few fragments of a once great fortune； and the
diamonds which the will expressly stated Lydie was to receive 'in case
they were recovered。'〃
〃Ha！ ha！〃 exclaimed Cerizet； 〃bad for Toupillier； because； having to
do with a man of your calibre〃
〃Charles Crochard's first object on being liberated was vengeance on
Toupillier； and his first step was to denounce him to the police as
receiver of the stolen property。 Taken in hand by the law； Toupillier
defended himself with such singular good…humor； being able to show
that no proof whatever existed against him； that the examining judge
let him off。 He lost his place； however； as giver of holy water；
obtaining； with great difficulty； permission to beg at the door of the
church。 For my part； I was certain of his guilt； and I managed to have
the closest watch kept upon him； though I relied far more upon myself。
Being a man of means and leisure； I stuck； as you may say； to the skin
of my thief； and did； in order to unmask him； one of the cleverest
things of my career。 He was living at that time in the rue du Coeur…
Volant。 I succeeded in becoming the tenant of the room adjoining his；
and one night； through a gimlet hole I had drilled in the partition； I
saw my man take the case of diamonds from a very cleverly contrived
hiding…place。 He sat for an hour gazing at them and fondling them； he
made them sparkle in the light； he pressed them passionately to his
lips。 The man actually loved those diamonds for themselves； and had
never thought of turning them to money。〃
〃I understand；〃 said Cerizet；〃a mania like that of Cardillac； the
jeweller； which has now been dramatized。〃
〃That is just it；〃 returned du Portail； 〃the poor wretch was in love
with that casket； so that when； shortly after； I entered his room and
told him I knew all； he proposed to me to l