Castles in the Air

keeper that in lieu of wages, which I could not afford to pay him, he would share my meals with me and have a bed at my expense in the same house at Passy

uently that he had gone through many an unpleasant skirmish with t

nce, I felt that, considering the risks of New Caledonia and a convict ship which I had taken, a paltry four hundred francs could n

s and get-up of a respectable commissionnaire was a favourite one with me. As soon as I had changed I sent him out to make purchases for our luncheon-five sous' worth of stale bread, and ten sous' worth of liver sausage, of which he

f Prussia in connexion with certain schemes of naval construction. I did not understand the whole diplomatic verbiage, but it was pretty clear to my unsophisticated mind

client of this morning was certainly a secret service agent-otherwise a spy-of one of those two countries, who did not choose to take the very severe risks w

hat Theodore was still safely out of the way-I thought the whole matter over quietly

alligraphy to a magnificent degree of perfection, and the writing on the document was easy enough to imita

rs stamped upon them, and were in every way identical with that on which the original document had been drafted. When I had finished my work I flatte

n going to the little anteroom which divides my office from the outer door, great was my astonishment to see him lolling there on the rickety chair which he affectioned, and half asleep. I had some

ad come back?" I asked curtly, fo

he replied, with what I t

y cared for Theodo

ould not trust him. He would try and ferret things out, and then demand a share in my hard-earned emoluments to which he was really not entitled. I did not feel safe with that bulky packet of pape

was quick

ttle hiding-place in my room there where the precious documents would be quite

xecution, and with rem

taking the key away in my pocket. I thus made sure that Theodore could not follow me. I then walked to Passy-a matter of two kilometres-and by four o'clock I had the satisfac

round floor, and so I felt that I could now go back quite comfortably to my office in the