"Sixty thousand francs in gold!" exclaimed the Chouette.
Rodolph nodded his head in the affirmative.
"And you know this house, and the people in it?" said the Schoolmaster.
"A wall seven feet high on the side of the Allée des Veuves, a garden, windows down to the ground, and the house has only the ground floor throughout."
"And there is only the porter to guard this treasure?"
"And what, young man, is your proposed plan of proceeding?"
"Simple enough: to climb over the wall, pick the lock of the door, or force open a shutter or lock. What do you think of it?"
"I cannot answer you before I have examined it all myself,--that is, by the aid of my wife; but, if all you tell me is as you say, I think it would be the thing to do it at once this evening."
And the ruffian looked earnestly at Rodolph.
"Why, since the occupier does not return until the day after to-morrow?"
"Really? Well, and I--I cannot to-morrow."
"For the reason that prevents you this evening," said the robber, in a tone of mockery.
After a moment's reflection, Rodolph replied:
"Well, then, this evening be it. Where shall we meet?"
"We will not separate," said the Schoolmaster.
"What is the use of separating? The weather has cleared up, and we will go and walk about, and give a look at the Allée des Veuves; you will see how my woman will work. When that is done, we will return and play a hand at piquet, and have a bit of something in a place in the Champs Elysées that I know, near the river; and, as the Allée des Veuves is deserted at an early hour, we will walk that way about ten o'clock."
"Do you or do you not wish that we should do this job together?"
"Well, then, we do not separate before evening, or else--"
"I shall think that you are making 'a plant' for me, and that's the reason you wish to part company now."
"If I wished to set the 'traps' after you, what is to prevent my doing so this evening?"
"Why, everything. You did not expect that I should propose the affair to you so soon, and if you do not leave us you cannot put anybody up to it."
"Most extremely. But as what you propose may be quite true and honest, and the half of sixty thousand francs is worth a risk, I am willing to try for it; but this evening, or never; if never, I shall have my suspicions of you confirmed, and one day or other I will take care and let you dine off a dish of my cooking."