When Daubrecq the deputy came in from lunch on the day after the police
had searched his house he was stopped by Clemence, his portress, who
told him that she had found a cook who could be thoroughly relied on.

The cook arrived a few minutes later and produced first-rate characters,
signed by people with whom it was easy to take up her references. She
was a very active woman, although of a certain age, and agreed to do the
work of the house by herself, without the help of a man-servant, this
being a condition upon which Daubrecq insisted.

Her last place was with a member of the Chamber of Deputies, Comte
Saulevat, to whom Daubrecq at once telephoned. The count's steward gave
her a perfect character, and she was engaged.

As soon as she had fetched her trunk, she set to work and cleaned and
scrubbed until it was time to cook the dinner.

Daubrecq dined and went out.

At eleven o'clock, after the portress had gone to bed, the cook
cautiously opened the garden-gate. A man came up.

"Is that you?" she asked.

"Yes, it's I, Lupin."

She took him to her bedroom on the third floor, overlooking the garden,
and at once burst into lamentations:

"More of your tricks and nothing but tricks! Why can't you leave me